STACK
ANNEX
£Liiiorni<
£ional
dlity
Irish Local Names
Explained
BY
P. W. JOYCE, LL.D., M.R.I.A.
DUBLIN
THE EDUCATIONAL CO.
OF IRELAND, LIMITED
89 TALBOX STREET
LONDON
LONGMANS, GREEN.
AND COMPANY,
39 PATERNOSTER ROW
1922
IRISH LOCAL NAMES EXPLAINED
THE PROCESS OF ANGLICISING.
1. SYSTEMATIC CHANGES.
Irish pronunciation preserved. — In anglicising Irish,
names, the leading general rule is, that the present
forms are derived from the ancient Irish, as they were
spoken, not as they were written. Those who first
committed them to writing, aimed at preserving the
original pronunciation, by representing it as nearly as
they were able in English letters.
Generally speaking, this principle explains the altera-
tions that were made in the spelling of names, in the
process of reducing them from ancient to modern forms;
and allowing for the difficulty of representing Irish
words by English letters, it will be found that, on the
whole, the ancient pronunciation is fairly preserved.
Aspiration. — The most common causes of change in
the reduction of Irish names, are aspiration and cclipsis.
Some of the Irish consonants are, in certain situations,
subject to what is called aspiration ; it is indicated by
the letter A, and it always chauges the sound of the
consonants.
B and m aspirated (bh, mh) are both sounded like c
or u>, and, consequently, where we find bh or mh in an
Irish name, we generally have v or w in the English
form : examples, Ardvally in Donegal and Sligo, in
Irish Ard-bhaile, high town; Ballinwully in Roscom
raon, Baile-an-mhullaigh, the town of the summit
B
2 Irish Local Names explained.
(mullacK], Sometimes they are represented by / in
English, as in BoherdufF, Bothar-dubh, black road : and
often they are suppressed, especially in the end of
words, or between two vowels, as in Knockdoo, Cnoc-
dulh, black hill, the same as Knockduff in other places.
For c aspirated see page 4.
D and g aspirated (dh, gh}, have a faint guttural
sound, not existing in English, and they are conse-
quently generally unrepresented in anglicised names ;
as in Lisnalee, Lios-na-laegh, the fort of the calves.
.F aspirated (/A) totally loses its sound in Irish, and
of course is omitted in English ; as in Knockanree in
Wicklow, Cnoc~an-Jhraeigh, the hill of the heath.
P aspirated is represented by /; as in Ballinfoyle,
JSaile-an-phoill, the town of the hole, the same as Bal-
linphuill and Ballinphull elsewhere.
S and t aspirated (sh, tfi) both sound the same as
English h; as in Drumhillagh in Cavan and Monaghan,
Druim-shaileach, the ridge of the sallows, the same
name as Drumsillagh in other counties, in which the
original s sound is retained.
JEclipsis. — An eclipsed consonant has its sound alto-
gether suppressed, the sound of another consonant which
is prefixed, being heard instead. Thus when d ;a
eclipsed by n, it is written n-d, but the n alone is
pronounced. The eclipsed letter is of course always
omitted in English.
"When a noun is used in the genitive plural, with the
article prefixed, its initial consonant is eclipsed. Each
consonant has a special eclipsing letter of its own.
B is eclipsed by m; Knocknamoe, the name of a
place in Queen's County, represents the Irish Cnoo-na-
mbo, the hill of the cows.
C is eclipsed by g ; as in Cloonnagashel near Ballin-
robe, which ought to have been anglicised Coolnagashel,
for the Four Masters write the name Cuil na-gcaiseal,
the corner of the cashels or stone forts.
D and g are both eclipsed by n ; as in Mullananallog
m Monaghan, MMach-na-ndealg, the summit of the
thorns or thorn bushes.
F is eclipsed by *A, which is represented by v it
Irish Locai Jhames explained. 3
English; as in Carriguavar in Cork, which is in. Irish
Carraig-na-bhfear, the rock of the men.
P is eclipsed by b ; as in Gortnaboul in Kerry and
Clare, Gort-na-bpoll, the field of the holes.
S is eclipsed by t, in the genitive singular with the
article j as in Ballintaggart, Baile-an tsagairt, the town
of the priest.
T is eclipsed by ds as in Lisnadurk in Fermanagh
Lios-na-dtorc, the fort of the boars.
2. COREUPTIONS.
While the majority of names have been modernized
in accordance with the principle of preserving the pro-
nunciation, great numbers on the other hand have been
contracted and corrupted in a variety of ways. Some
of these corruptions took place in the Irish language ;
but far the greatest number were introduced by the
English-speaking people in transferring the words from
the Irish to the English language. The following are
some of the principal corruptions.
Interchange of 1, m, n, r. The interchange of these
letters is common in Irish and English, as well as in
other languages. We find I very often substituted for
r; as in Shiule, Shruel, Straell, Sroohill,in all of which
the final consonant sound should be that of r, for they
are derived from Sruthair [sruher], a stream.
N is sometimes, but not often, changed to I, as in
Castleconnell near Limerick, which is the castle of the
O Connings, not of the O'ConnoUs, as the present form
of the name would indicate.
The change of n to r is of frequent occurrence, as ir.
Kilmacrenan in Donegal, which should have been called
Kilmaonenan, for the Irish authorities write it Cill-mac-
nEnain, which Colgan translates the church of the sons
of Enan, who were contemporaries and relatives of St.
Coluinba.
The change of I to r is not very common, but we find
it in Ballysakeery in Mayo, which is written by Mac-
Firbis, Baile-easa-caoile [Ballysakeely], the town of the
narrow cataract.
B2
* . Irish Local Names explained.
M and n are occasionally interchanged. For example,
the barony of Glenquin in Limerick, should have heen
called Glenquim, for the Irish is Gleann-a'-chuim, the
glen of the cum or hollow. Kilmainham near Dublin is
called Kilmannan by Boate, which is more correct than
the present form. The name signifies the church of St.
Mainen (Irish Maighnenn), who was bishop and abbot
there in the seventh century.
Change o/ch and th, to f. The guttural sound of <
aspirated (ch) does not exist in English, and in angli-
cised names it is occasionally changed to/; for example,
Knocktopher in Kilkenny, is from the Irish Cnoe-a1-
tochair, the hill of the togher or causeway. F is also
sometimes substituted for th; thus, Tiscoffin in Kilkenny
took its name from an old church called Tigh-scoithin
[Tee-Scoheen], the house of St. Sooithin, who erected
his primitive church here towards the close of the sixth
century.
Substitution of g for d. D aspirated is often changed
to g ; as in Drumgonnelly in Louth, which should have
been anglicised Drumdonnelly, for the Irish is Druim-
Dhonghaile, the ridge or long hill of the Donnellys.
Addition o/d after n; and ofb after m. The letter d
is often corruptly placed after »; — as we find in case of
Pathfryland in Down, which is called in Irish Rath-
Fraeileann, Freelan's fort. £ is also often placed after
m ; as in Cumber or Comber, the names of several places
in the northern counties; the Irish word is Comar,
which signifies the confluence of two waters, and it is
correctly anglicised Cummer and Comer in many other
nameg.
Irish Local Names explained.
IRISH LOCAL NAMES EXPLAINED.
The following abbreviations have been used in quoting authorities for the
Irish forms : —
" F. M.," The Annals of the Four Masters.
"Book of R" The Book of Rights (Leabhar-na-gCearf).
" Hy F.," The Tribes and Customs of Hy Fiachrach.
"O'Dugan," The topographical Poems of O'Dugan and O'Heeren.
" O'C. Cal.," O'Ctery's Calendar of Irish Saints, or, The Martyrology «t
Donegal.
"Wars of GG.," The Wars of the Gaedhil with the ffaill (of the Irish with
the Danes).
" Mart. Tanii.," The Martyrology of Tallaght.
The Irish forms are always in Italics. The Irish root words are fully ex-
plained In the Vocabulary at the end of the boot.
The pronunciation of the principal Irish words Is given in brackets, at
nearly as can be represented by English letters.
Abbeyfeale in Limerick ; Mainistir-na-Feile, the monas-
tery or abbey of the river Feale.
Abbeygormican in Galway ; the abbey of the O'Cor-
maeans.
Abbeylara or Lara in Longford; Zeath-rath, F. M.
[Lah-rah], half rath or fort.
Abbeyleix ; the abbey of the old principality of Leix,
so called from a monastery founded there in 1183 by
Conor O'Moore. In the reign of Felimy the Law-
giver (A. D. Ill to 119), this territory was given by
the king of Leinster to Lughaidh LaeigTiseach [Lewy
Leeshagh], Conall Carnach's grandson, for helping
to expel the Munstermen who had seized on Ossory.
Lewy's descendants, the O'Moores, took from him
the tribe name, Laeighis [Leesh], and their territory
was called by the same name, now modernized to
Leix.
Abbey shrule in Longford ; from a monastery founded
there by one of the O'Farrells. It was anciently
called Sruthair [Sruher], F. M., i. e. the stream, of
which Shrule is a corruption,
Abbeystrowry in Cork; the same name as the last.
The sruthair or stream from which it was called,
gave name also to Bealnashrura (the leal or ford-
mouth of the «-tream) a village situated at an ancient
ford.
f> Irish Local Names explained.
Achonry in Sligo, Achadh- Chonaire [Aha-Conary],
F.M., Conary's field.
Adare in Limerick ; Ath-dara [Ah-dara], F. M., the
ford of tlie oak tree. A large oak must have an-
ciently overshadowed the old ford on the Maigue.
Addergoole, Addragool, Adrigole, Adrigoole; Eadar-
dha-ghabhal [Adragoul], i. e. (a place) between two
(river) forks.
Aderrig ; Ath-dearg, red ford. See Aghaderg.
Affane on the Blackwater below Cappoquin; Ath-
mheadhon, [Ah-vane], F. M., middle ford.
Agha in several counties ; Achadh [Aha], a field.
Aghaboe in Queen's County, where St. Canice of Kil-
kenny had his principal church. Adamnan-in his
Life of St. Columkille, written in the seventh cen-
tury, has the following passage, which settles the
meaning: — "St. Canice being in the monastery
which is called in Latin Campulus bovts (i. e. the
field of the cow), but in Irish Ached-bou."
Aghaboy ; Achadh-buidhe [Aha-boy], yellow field.
Aghacross near Kildorrery in Cork ; the ford of the
cross ; probably from a cross erected in connexion
with St. Molaga's adjacent establishment, to mark a
ford on the Funcheon. See Templemolaga.
Aghada near Cork; Ath-fhada [Ahada], long ford.
Aghaderg ; Ath-dearg, red ford. See Aderrig.
Aghadoe near Killarney ; Achadh-dd-e6 [Aha-daw-o],
F. M., the field of the two yew trees.
Aghadowey-in Derry ; Achadh- Dubhthaigh [Ahaduffy],
O'C. Cal., Duffy's field.
Aghadown and Aghadoon ; the field of the dun or fort
Aghadreen, Aghadreenagh, Aghadreenan, Aghadrinagh;
the field of the dreens or sloe bushes (draeigheari).
Aghafad, Aghafadda ; long field.
Aghagallon ; the field of the gallan or standing stone.
Aghagower in Mayo ; the correct name would be Agha-
fower, for the ancient form, as found in the old
Lives of St. Patrick, is Achadh-fobhair, the field of
the spring, from a celebrated well, now called St.
Patrick's well. The present form is written in Hy F.,
Achadh-gabhair, which means the field of the goat.
Irish Local Names explained. ?
Aghamore; Achadh-mor, great field.
Aghanloo ; Athan-Lugha, Lugh's or Lcwy's little ford.
Aghavea in Fermanagh; Achadh-leithe [Ahabehy],
F. M., the field of the birch trees.
Aghaveagh in Donegal and Tyrone; same as last.
Aghavilla, Aghaville, Aghavilly; Achadh-lhile, the
field of the lite or old tree.
Aghaviller in Kilkenny; Achadh-liorair [Ahabirrer],
F. M., the field of the watercresses (r changed to /).
Aghindarragh in Tyrone ; the field of the oak.
Aghintamy near Alonaghan ; Achadh' an-tsamhaidh, the
field of the sorrel.
Aghmacart in Queen's County ; the field of Art's son.
Aghnamullen in Monaghan ; the field of the mills.
Aghnaskea, Aghnaskeagh, Aghnaskew ; Achadh-na-
sceach, the field of the white-thorn bushes.
Aghowle in "Wicklow; Achadh-abhla, the field of the
apple trees.
Aglish ; Eaglais [aglish], a church.
Aglishcloghane in Tipperary ; the church of the clogh-
aun or row of stepping stones.
Aglishcormick in Limerick ; St. Cormac's church.
Aglish drinagh in CoTk;J£aglais-draei(/hneach, the church
of the dreens or sloe bushes.
Agolagh in Antrim ; Ath-golhlach, forked ford.
Ahane, Ahaun ; Athdn, little ford.
Ahaphuca ; the ford of the pooka or spright.
Ahascragh in Galway ; Ath-eascrach, F. M., the ford of
the esker or sand-hill.
Aille ; Aill, a cliff.
Alleen ; Aillm, a little cliff.
Alt ; Alt, a height, the side of a glen.
Altan ; little cliff or glen side.
Altaturk ; the glen side of the boar (tore).
Altavilla ; the glen side of the liU or old tree.
Altinure ; Alt-an-iulhair [yure], the glen side of the
yew tree.
Altnaveagh and Altnaveigh ; Alt-na-bhfiach, the cliff or
glen side of thefiachs or ravens.
Anna; same as Anungh, which soc.
8 Irish Local Names explained.
Annahella near Mallow; Eanach-liU, the marsli »f the
lil& or old tree.
Annaclone ; the marsh of the meadow (chain}.
Annacotty near Limerick; Ath-na-coite, the ford of the
cot or little boat.
Annacramph in Armagh and Monaghan ; Eanach-
creamha, the marsh of the wild garlick.
Annaduff; JEcmach-dubh^ F. M., black marsh.
Annagh ; Eanach, a marsh.
Aunaghaskin in Dublin, near Bray; Eanach-easgann,
the marsh of the eels.
Annaghbeg, Annaghmore ; little marsh, great marsh.
Annahagh, Annahaia in Honaghan and Armagh; Ath-
na-haithe, the ford of the kiln (aith}.
Annahavil; Eanach-abhaill, the marsh of the orchard
(abhaB).
Annahilt in Down ; Eanach-eilte, the marsh of the doe
(eilit).
Annakisha ; the ford of the kish or wickerwork cause
way.
Annalong in Down ; Ath-na-long, the ford of the ships
(long") : the ford was near the place where vessels used
to be moored or anchored.
Annamoe in Wicklow ; Ath-na-mbo, the ford of the
cows (bo}.
Anny ; same as Annagh, which see.
Arboe in Tyrone ; Ard-lo, the cow's height.
Ard ; high ; a height.
Ardagh; Ard-achadh [Ard-aha], high field.
Ardaghy; same as Ardagh.
Ardan, Ardane, Ardaun; little arc? or height.
Ardara in Donegal; Ard-a'-raith, the height of the
rath, from a hill near the village, on which stands a
conspicuous fort.
Ardataggle, Ardateggle; Ard-cf-tseagail, the height of
the rye (seagal).
Ardbane, Ardbaun ; white height.
Ardbeg; little height.
A rdbraccan in Meath ; St. Brecan's height. St. Brecan
erected a church here in the sixth century, some
Irish Local Names explained. 9
time previous to his removal to the great island of
A ran, where he had his chief establishment.
Ardcarn ; the height of the corn or monumental heap.
Ardcath ; the height of the battle (cath).
Ardee in Louth. Old English form Atherdee, which
represents the Irish Ath-Fhirdia [AhirdeeJ, as it is
written in Irish authorities, the ford of Ferdia, a
chieftain who was slain there in battle by Cuchullin
in the first century.
Ardeen in Cork and Kerry ; little height.
Ardeevin; Ard-aeibhinn, beautiful height.
Arderin ; the height of Erin or Ireland.
Ardfert in Kerry ; Ard-ferta, F. M., the height of the
grave. Sometimes called Ardfert- Brendan, from St.
Brendan the navigator, who founded a monastery
there in the sixth century.
Ardfinnan in Tipperary ; the height of St. Finan, who
founded a monastery there in the seventh century.
Ardgeeha; Ard-gaeithe, height of the wind.
Ardglass; Ard-glas, green height.
Ardgoul; Ard-galhal, high fork.
Ardkeen; Ardcaein, beautiful height.
Ardkill; high church or wood (cill or coilT).
Ardlougher; Ard-luachra, rushy height.
Ardmayle ; Ard-Maille, F. M., Malley's height.
Ardmeen ; smooth height.
Ardmore in various counties ; great height.
Ardmulchan in Meath ; Ard-Maelchon, F. M., Mael
chon's height
Ardnacrusha, Ardnacrushy ; the height of the cross.
Ardnageeha, Ardnageehy; the heignt of the wind
(gaeth).
Ardnanean; the height of the birds (en).
Ardnapreaghaun ; the height of the prehauns or crows.
Ardnarea near Ballina; Ard-na-riaghadh [reea], Hy F.,
the hill of the executions. Four persons were exe-
cuted here in the seventh century, for the murder of
Kellach, bishop of Kilmore-Moy.
Ardnurcher in Westmeath ; a corruption of Athnurcher,
from Ath-an-urchairt F. M., the ford of the castor
throw. According to a very ancient legend, a battle
10 Iriah Local Name* explained.
was fought here in the first century, between the
Connaught and Ulster forces. Keth Mac Magach,
a Connaught chief, threw a hard round ball at Conor
mac "Nessa, king of Ulster, and struck him on the head,
from the effects of which the king died seven years
afterwards.
Ardpatrick; St. Patrick's height.
Ardrahan ; Ard-rathain, the height of the ferns.
Ardskeagh ; the height of the skeaghs or bushes.
Ardstraw in Tyrone ; Ard-sratha [Ard-srawha], F. M.,
the height of (or near) the river holm.
Ardvally in Donegal and Sligo. See page 1.
Ardvarna, Ardvarness, Ardvarney, Ardvarnish ; Ard-
bhearna and Ard-bhearnas, high gap.
Arless in Queen's County ; Ard'lios, high fort.
Armagh ; written in all Irish authorities Ard-Macha,
f which, in the Book of Armagh, is translated A Ititudo
Machte, Macha's height. From Queen Macha of the
golden hair, who founded the palace of Emania, 300
years B. C.
Armoy in Antrim; Airthir-Maighe [Arhir-moy], F. M.,
eastern plain.
Artimacormack in Antrim; Ard-tighe-Mic-Cormaic, the
height of Mac Cormack's house.
Artrea in Deny; Ard-Trea (Mart. Taml.), Trea's
height. The virgin St. Trea flourished in the fifth
century.
Askeaton ; took its name from the cataract on the Deel
near the town, which the F. M. call Eas- Gephtine
[Ass- Getting], Geph tine's cataract.
Assan, Assaun ; small ass or waterfall.
Assaroe at Ballyshannon. The Book of Leinster states
that Ae&h-Ruadh [Ay-roo], queen Macha's father (see
Armagh), was drowned in this cataract, which was
thence called from \\imEas-Aedha-Ruaidh [Assayroo],
Aedh-Ruadtts waterfall.
Assey on the Boyne in Meath. The F. M. record that
in A. D. 524 " the battle of Ath Sithe [Ah-Shee] was
gained by Muircheartach (king of Ireland) against the
Leinstermen, where Sithe [Shee] the son of Dian was
•lain, from whom Ath- Sithe (Sithe's ford^ is called."
Irish Local Names explained. 11
Athenry; Ath-na-riogh [ree], F. M., the ford of the
kings.
Athgoe in Dublin ; the ford of the gow or smith.
Athlacca in Limerick ; from a ford on the Morning Star
river, called A th-leacach, stony ford.
Athleague in Roscommon; Ath-liag, I . M., the ford of
the stones.
A.thlone ; from the ancient ford over the Shannon, called
in Irish authorities Ath-Luam, the ford of Luan, a
man's name.
Athneasy in Limerick; called in the F. M., Ath-na-
nDeise [Athnaneasy], the ford of (the tribe of) the
Desii, who inhabited the old territory of Deisbeag,
round Knockany.
Athnid in Tipperary; the ford of the nead or bird's
nest.
Athnowen, a parish near Ballincollig in Cork ; from a
ford on the river Bride, called Ath-'n-uamhamn [Ath-
nooan], the ford of the cave (uaimh), from the great
limestone cave at " The Ovens," near the ford.
Athy. One of the battles between Lewy and the
Munstermen (see Abbeyleix), was fought at a ford on
the Barrow, where a Munster chief, Ae, was slain ;
and from him the place was called Ath-I(War8 of
GG), the ford of Ae.
Attavally; Ait-tf-lhaile, the site of the bally or town.
Atti or Atty in the beginning of a name, is the angli-
cised form of dit-tighe [aut-tee], the place or site of
a house (ait and teach}.
Attidermot ; the site of Dermot's house.
Attiduff ; the site of the black house.
Attykit ; the site of Ceatfs or Keth's house.
Aughall in Tipperary and Aughil in Deny ; Eochaill,
the yew wood (eo and coill). See Youghal and OghilL
Aughinish; Each-inis, F. M., the island of horses.
Aughnacloy ; Achadh-na-cloiche [Ahanacloha], the field
of the stone.
Aughnahoy; Achadh-na-haithe, the field of the kiln
(aith).
Aughnanure near Oughterard in Galway ; Achadh-na-
12 Irish Local Names explained.
niubhar [Ahananure], the field of the yew trees.
One of the old yews still remains.
Aughnish ; same as Aughinish.
Aughrim; the name is written in Irish documents,
Each-dhruim [Agh-rim : dh silent], which Colgan
translates Equi-mons, the hill, druim, or ridge, of the
horse (each}.
Aughris, Aughrus; Each-roa, F. M., the peninsula of
the horses.
Avalbane, Avalreagh ; white orchard, grey orchard
(alkali).
Avonmore, Avonheg; great river, little river (abhainri).
Aubeg; Abh-bheag, little river.
Ayle ; same as Aifle, which see.
Bahana ; same as Behanagh, which see.
Bailey lighthouse at Howth ; from the old bally or for
tress of Criffan, king of Ireland in the first century,
on the site of which it was built.
Balbriggan in Dublin ; Baile-Breacain, Brecan's town.
Baldoyle in Dublin; Baile-Dubhghoill, Dubhghall's or
Doyle's town.
Balfeddock ; the town of the feadogs or plovers.
Halgeeth in Meath ; the town of the wind (gaeth}.
Balla in Mayo. In the Life of St. Mochua, we are told
that before the saint founded his monastery there in
the seventh century, the place was called Ros-dairbJi-
reach [Ros-dar'aragh], i.e. oak grove ; that he en-
closed the wells of his establishment with a balla or
wall ; and that hence the place received the new name
of Balla.
Ballagh ; Bealach, a road or pass.
Ballaghaderreen in Mayo ; the road of the dorreen or
little oak wood.
Ballaghbehy ; the road of the birch (beith).
Ballaghboy ; yellow road (buidhe).
Ballaghkeen in Wexford ; beautiful road (caein).
Ballaghkeeran ; the road of the keerans or quicken trees.
Ballaghmore ; great road.
Ballard ; Baile-ard. high town.
Bailee in Down; written in the Taxation of 130G,
Irish Local Names explained. 13
tfaliath ; from the Irish Baile-atha, the town of the
ford.
Balleen; little bally or town.
Ballina, the name of many places ; Bel-an-atha ^Bella-
naha], the mouth of the ford.
Ballinabarny ; the town of the bearna or gap.
Ballinaboy in Cork, Galway, and Roscommon ; Bel-art'
atha-buidke, the mouth of the yellow ford.
Ballinaclogh ; the town of the stones (clock}.
Ballinacor, Ballinacur, Ballinacurra; Baile-na-corra,
the town of the weir.
Ballinafad; Bel-an-atha-fada [Bellanafadda], the mouth
of the long ford.
Ballinagar; Bel-athana-gcarr [Bellanagar], the ford-
mouth of the cars.
Ballinahinch ; the town of the inis or island.
Ballinakill ; the town of the church or wood.
Ballinalack in Westmeath; Bel-atha-na-leac [Bellana-
lack], the mouth of the ford of the flag-stones.
Ballinalee and Ballinalea; Bel-atha-na-laegh^ the ford-
mouth of the calves.
Ballinamona; Baile-na-mona, the town of the bog.
Ballinamore ; Bel-an-atha-moir, the mouth of the great
ford.
Ballinamought near Cork; Baile-na-mbocht, the town
of the poor people (bocht).
Ballinard ; the town of the ard or height.
Ballinascarty ; the town of the scart or thicket.
Ballinasloe ; Bel-atha-na-sluaigheadh [Bellanaslooa],
F. M., the ford-mouth of the hosts or gatherings.
Ballinaspick, Ballinaspig; Baile-an-easpuig, the town
of the bishop.
Ballinastraw ; the town of the srath or river-holm.
Ballinchalla on Lough Mask in Mayo; Baile-an-ckala,
the town of the callow or landing place.
Ballinclare ; the town of the clar or plain.
Ballincloghan ; the same as Bally ologhan.
Ballincollig ; Baile-an-chullaiyh, the town of the boar.
Ballincurra, Ballincurrig, Ballincurry; Baile an-chur-
raigh, the town of the curraoh or marsh.
Ballinderry ; the town of the derry or oak wood.
14 7m/i Local Names r.
Ballindrait, Ballindrehid ; Baile-an -droichid, the town
of the bridge.
Ballineddan inWicklow; Baile-an-fheadain, the town
of ihefeadan or etreamlot.
Ballinfoyle in Galway and "Wicklow; seepage 2.
Ballingaddy; the town of the thief (gadaighe), i.e. the
black thief O'Dwane.
Ballingarrane ; the town of the garran or shrubbery..
Ballingarry ; Baile-an-gharrdha, the town of the garden.
Ballinglanna, Ballinglen ; the town of the glen.
Ballingowan ; the town of the smith (golha).
Ballinlass, Ballinlassa, Ballinlassy, Bailiuliss; the town
of the lios or fort.
Ballinlough ; the town of the lake.
Ballinloughan, Ballinloughaun ; the town of the little
lake.
Ballinlug, Ballinluig; the town of the lug or hollow.
Ballinphuill, Ballinphull ; see page 2.
Ballinree; sometimes Baile-an-fhraeigh, the town of
the heath (fraech) ; sometimes Baile-an-righ, the
town of the king.
Ballinrobe; the town of the river Robe.
Ballinrostig ; Roche's town.
Ballinspittle; the town of the spital or hospital.
Ballintaggart ; see page 3.
Ballinteer; Baile-an-tsaeir, the town of the carpenter.
Ballintemple ; the town of the temple or church.
Ballinteskin ; Baile-an-tsescenn, the town of the morass
Ballintlea, Ballintleva, Ballintlevy, Ballintlieve ; Baile-
an-tsleibhe, the town of the mountain (sliabh).
Ballintober ; the town of the well.
Ballintogher ; the town of the togher or causeway.
Ballintubbert, Ballintubbrid ; same as Ballintober.
Ballinure ; the town of the yew tree (iubhar).
Ballinvally ; Baile-an-bhecdaigh, the town of the road.
Ballinvarrig, Ballinvarry; Barry's town.
Ballinvella, Ballinvilla; Baile-an-bhile, the town of the
bil8 or ancient tree.
Ballinvoher; llaife-an-bhothair^ the town of the roail.
B.-illinvreena in Limerick and Tipperary ; the town of
the bruighean [breen"! or fairy mansion.
Irish Local Names explained. 15
Ballinwillin ; Baile-an-mhuilinn, the town of the mill.
Ballinwully in Roscommon ; see page 1.
Ballytore in Kildare took its name from a ford on the
river Greece; Bel-atha-a'-tuair [Bellatoor], the ford
mouth of the tuar or bleach green.
Ballyard; high town.
Bailybaan, Ballybane, Ballybaun ; white town.
Ballybay in Monaghan ; Bel-atka-beithe [Bellabehy],
the ford mouth of the birch.
Ballybeg; small town.
Ballyboe; i. e. "cow-land," a measure of land.
Ballybofey in Donegal. The correct old name is Srath-
bofey. Some occupier named Fiaeh or Fay must have
in past times kept his cows on the holm along the
Finn; Srath-bo-Fiaich, F. M., the river holm of
Fiach's cows.
Ballyboghil in county Dublin ; the town of the bacJial
orcrozier; from St. Patrick's crozier.
Uallyboley ; the town of the booley or dairy place.
Ballybough near Dublin; Baile-bocht, poor town; the
same as Ballybought in other places.
Ballyboy in King's County; written in Irish authorities
Baile-aiha-luidhe [Ballyaboy], the town of the yellow
ford; the name is common in other counties and
sometimes means yellow town (Baile-buidhe),
Ballybrack ; speckled town.
Ballybrannagh ; "Walsh's town. The proper name
Walsh is in Irish Breathnach [Branagh], i. e. Briton.
Ballybunnion in Kerry ; Bunnion's town.
Ballycahan, Ballycahane; O'Cahan's town.
Ballycahill; Cahill's or O'Cahill's town.
Ballycastle in Antrim ; the town of the castle.
Ballycastle in Mayo; the town of the cashel or cir-
cular stone fort.
Ballyclare; the same as Ballinclare.
Ballyclerahan in Tipperary ; O'Clerahan's town.
Ballyclogh, Ballyclohy ; the town of the stones.
Ballycloghan ; the town of the cloghan or row of step-
ping stones across a river.
Bally clug in Antrim ; the town of the bell '/, </)„
Ballycolla; the town of Colla, a man's t>au>
16 Irish Local Names explained.
Ballyconnell in Cavan. According to tradition, Conall
Carnagh, one of the most renowned of the Red Branch
knights of Ulster, was slain here in the first century;
hence it was called £el-atha-Chonaill, the mouth
of the ford of Conall.
Ballycormick ; Cormac's or O'Cormac's town.
Hallycullane ; O'Cullane's or O'Collins's town.
Ballydehob in Cork ; Bel-atha-da-chab, the ford of the
two cabs or mouths ; from some local feature.
Ballyduff; black town.
Ballyea ; O'Hea's or Haj^es's town.
Ballyeighter ; Baile-iochtar, lower town.
Ballyfoyle; the town of the hole (poll}.
Ballygarran, Ballygarraun ; the town of the garran or
shrubbery.
Ballyglass ; green town.
Ballygowan ; the town of the smith (golJia}.
Ballyheige in Kerry; Baile-ui-Thadg, the town of
O'Teige.
Ballyhooly near Mallow ; took its name from an an-
cient ford on the Blackwater, called in the Book of
Lismore Ath-ulUa [Ahoola]; the ford of the apples.
The people now call it in Irish Baile-atlia-ubhla
(which they pronounce Blaa-hoola), the town of the
apple ford, which has been shortened to the present
name.
Ballykeel; Baile-cael, narrow town.
Ballyknock ; the town of the hill.
Ballyknockan, Bally knockane ; the town of the little
hill.
Ballylanders in Limerick; Landers's town, from ac
English family of that name.
Ballylig ; the town of the lug or hollow.
Ballylongford in Kerry ; Bel-atha-longphuirt, the ford-
mouth of the longphort or fortress ; because it led to
Carrigafoyle castle, two miles off.
Biillylough/Ballyloughan, Ballyloughaun; the town of
the lake.
Rillylusk, Ballylnsky ; Baify-loisgthe, burnt town;
from the practice of burning the surface in tillage.
Irish Local Names explained. 17
Ballytnena, Ballyraenagh ; Baile-mKadhonach, middle
town.
Ballymoney ; the town of the shrubbery (muine}.
Ballymore; great town; sometimes when the place is
on a river it is Bel-atha-moir [Bellamore], the mouth
of the great ford.
Ballymote; Baile-an-mhofa, ~F. M., the town of the
moat or mound.
Ballynabarna, Ballynabarny, Ballynabearna ; the town
of the gap. See Ballinabarny.
Ballynaboley, Ballynaboola, Ballynabooley ; the lown
of the booley or dairy place (buaile). See B.illy-
boley.
Ballynacally ; the town of the calliagh or hag.
Ballynacarrick, Ballynacarrig, Ballynacarriga, Haltyna-
carrigy ; the town of the rock (carraig).
Ballynaclogh, Ballynacloghy ; Baile-na-cloiche, the town
of the clock or stone.
Ballynacor, Ballynacorra ; the town of the weir (cora}.
Ballynacourty ; the town of the court or mansion.
Ballynagall, Ballynagaul ; the town of the Galls or
foreigners.
Ballynagard ; the town of the ceards or artificers.
Ballynagee, Ballynageeha ; town of the wind (gaeth}.
Ballynageeragh ; the town of the sheep (caera).
Ballynaglogh ; Baile-na-gcloch, the town of the stones.
Ballynagore; the town of the goats (gabhar}.
Ballynagowan ; the town of the smiths (gobha}.
Ballynagran ; Baile-na-gcrann, the town of the trees.
Ballynahaglish ; the town of the church (eaglais).
_Ballynahinch ; the town of the inis or island.
Ballynahone, Ballynahown, Ballynahowna ; the town
of the river (abhainri).
Ballynahow; the town of the river (abh}.
Ballynakill, Ballynakilla, Ballynakilly ; the town of
the church or wood (cill or coill).
Ballynalacken ; the town of the leacan or hill side.
Ballynamona ; the town of the bog (mdin).
Ballynamuck ; the town of the pigs (mice}.
Ballynamuddagh; Baile-na-mbodach, the town of the
bodac/is or churls.
18 Irish Local Names explained.
Ballynaraha ; the town of the rath or fort.
Ballynatona, Ballynatone ; the town of the backside or
hill (tdiii).
Ballynatray ; the town of the strand (traigh}.
Ballyneety; Baile-an-Fhaeite, the town of White, a
family name of English origin.
Ballyness ; the town of the waterfall (cas).
Ballynew, Ballynoe; Baile-nua, new town.
Ballynure ; Baile-an-iubhair, the town of the yew.
Ballyorgan in Limerick ; Organ's or Horgan's town.
Ballyragget in Kilkenny; Bel-atha-Raghat, F. M., Ragat's
ford-mouth.
Ballyroe ; Baile-ruadh, red town.
Ballyroosky ; the town of the rusk or marsh.
Ballysadare in Sligv.; originally JEas-dara [Assdara],
the cataract of the oak, from the beautiful fall on the
Owenmore river. It was afterwards called Baile-
easa-dara [Bnllyassadara], F. M., the town of Assdara,
which has been shortened to the present name.
Hallysaggart ; the town of the sagart or priest
Ballysakeery in Mayo ; see page 3.
Ballysallagh ; dirty town.
Ballyshane; Shane's or John's town.
Ballyshannon : the old ford on the Erne is called by the
annalists Ath-seanaigh and Bel-atha-seanaigh [Bella-
shanny]; from the latter, the present name is derived,
and it means the mouth of Seanach's or Shannagtis
ford, a man's name in common use. The on is a
modern corruption ; the peasantry call the town Bal-
lyshanny, which is nearer the original. Ballyshannon
in Kildare is similarly derived.
Ballytarsna, Ballytarsney ; cross-town; i. e. the village
or townland had a cross or transverse position.
Ballyttige ; O'Teige's town.
Bally trasna; same as Ballytarsna.
Ballyvaghan in Clare; Baile-ui-Bheachain, O'Behan'a
town.
Ballywatcr ; Baile-uachtar, upper town.
Bally willin ; the town of the mill (muileanri).
Balrath ; Baile ratha, the town of the fort.
Balrathboyne in Meath. St. liaeithin [Bweeheen ; but
Irish Local Names explained. 19
often pron. Boyne], the son of Guana, built a church
here near an ancient rath, and the rath remains,
though the church is gone. Hence it was called
Rath-Baeithin, and in recent times, Balrathboyne, the.
town of Baeithin's rath.
Balrothery; Baile-cC-ridire [ Bally ariddery], the town
of the knight.
Baltinglass; it is written Bealach-Chonglais [Ballacon-
glas] in Irish authorities, the road or pass of Cuglas, a
person about whom there is a very ancient legend.
Baltrasna; the same as Bally tarsna.
Baltray; the town of the strand (traigh}.
Banagh, barony of, in Donegal. It is called in the
annals Baghaineach [Bawnagh], i. e. the territory of
Boghaine [Boana] QT: Enna Boghaine, the son ofConall
Gulban, son of the great king Niall of the Nine
Hostages, who reigned from A. D 379 to 405.
Banagher and Bangor; Beannchor [Banaher], F. M.,
(from the root beann), signifies horns, or pointed hills
or rocks, and sometimes simply a pointed hill.
Bnnnow in Wexford; the harbour was called Cuan-an-
bhainlh [Coon-an-wonniv], the harbour of the bonniv
or sucking pig; and the village has preserved the
latter part of the name changed to Bannow.
Bansha; Bainseach [Bawnshal, a level place.
Bantry; Brantraighe [Bantryj, Book of B,., i. e. the
descendants of -Beann [Ban], one of the sons of Conor
Mac Nessa, king of Ulster in the first century. A
part of the tribe settled in Wexford, and another
part in Cork, and the barony of Bantry in the former
county, and the town of Bantry in the latter, retain
their name.
Barna ; B&arna, a gap.
b'arnaboy; yellow gap.
Barnagefha, Barnageehy; windy gap (gaoth).
Barnane-Ely in Tipperary; from the remarkable gap
in the Devil's Bit mountain ; Bearnan-Eile, the little
gap of Ely, the ancient territory in which it was
situated.
Barnes, Barnish; Bearnas, a gap.
Bftrnismore ; great gap.
o'fl
20 Irish Local Names explained.
Barr; the top of anything.
Baslick; Baishac, F. M., a basilica or church.
Batterstown ; the town of the batter (bdthar] or road.
Bawnmore ; great green field.
Bawnoge; little green field.
Bawnreagh; greyish green field.
Baunskeha; the green field of the bush (swarty.
Bawnboy; yellow field.
Bawnfune; Bdn-fionn, white field.
Bawnmore; great green field.
Bea^h ; Beitheach [Beha], a place of birches.
Bear; barony, island, and ha^en, in Cork. Owen
More, king of Munster in the second century, spent
nine years in Spain, and, according to an old legend, he
married Iteara, daughter of the king of that country.
On his return to Ireland to make war against Conn
of the hundred battles, he landed on the north side
of Bftiitry bay, and called the place Beara in honour
of his wife.
Beheenagh, Behernagh ; a place of birches (beith),
Behy ; birch land.
Belfarsad; the same as Belfast.
Belfast. In old times the Lagan used to be crossed here
\ by a farset or sandbank, and hence the place was
called Belfeirste, F. M., the lei or ford of the farset.
Bellaghy; the mouth or entrance of the lahagh o»
slough.
Bellanacargy in Cavan; Bel-atha-na-cairrge, the mouth
of the ford of the rock (carraig).
Bellanagar in Roscommon; Bel-atha-na-gcarr, the mouth
of the ford of the cars.
Bellananagh in Cavan; Bd-atha-na-neach, the mouth of
the ford of the horses (each}.
Bellaugh in Roscommon ; the same as Bellaghy.
Belleek near Ballyshannon ; Bel-leice [Bellccka], F. M.,
the ford-mouth of the flag stone, from the flat sur-
faced rock in the bed of the river. Belleek in other
places is similarly derived.
Beltany ; frem Bealtaine or Beltaine, the first of May;
because the May day sports used to be celebrated there.
Urn; a peak, a pointed hill
Irish Local Names explained. 2 1
Benbo mountain near Manorhamilton, is called in Irish
Beanna-bo, F. M., the peaks or horns of the cow,
from its curious double peak.
Benburb in Tyrone ; from a cliff over the Blackwater,
called in the annals Beann-borb, the proud peak.
Bengore head ; the peak of the goats fgabhar).
Bengorm ; blue peak.
Benmore; great peak.
Bignion or Binnion ; small ben or peak.
Billy in Antrim ; Bile, an ancient tree.
Binbulbin ; correct name, Binn-Gulbain, Gulban's peak.
Bogagh, Boggagh, Boggan, Boggaun ; a boggy place.
Boher ; Bothar [boher], a road.
Boherard ; high road.
Boherboy ; yellow road.
Boherduff; see page 2.
Bohereen ; little road.
Bohermeen ; smooth road.
Boherroe ; red road.
Boho in Fermanagh ; Botha [boha], tents or huts.
Bohola ; Both-Thola, Hy. F., St. Tola's hut.
Boley ; buaile, a milking place for cattle.
Boleybeg ; little boley or dairy place.
Boola, booley ; the same as Boley.
Boolyglass; green booley.
Booterstown near Dublin ; the town of the bothar,
batter, or road. In a roll of the fifteenth century it
is called Ballybothyr, which shows that the Irish
name was Baile-an-bhothair, the town of the road,
of which the present name is a kind of half translation.
Borheen; same as Bohereen.
Borris ; Buirghes [burris], a burgage or borough.
Borris-in-Ossory; from the old territory of Ossory.
Borrisokane ; O'Keane's borough town.
Borrisoleigh ; from the ancient territory Ui LuigMhcach
[Hy Leea], in which it was situated.
Bourney in Tipperary; Boirne [bourny], rocky lands,
the plural of Burren.
Bovevagh; Both-Mheidhbhe [Boh-veva], the hut orient
of Maev or Mabel, a woman's name.
Boylagh, barony of, in Donegal; i. e. the territory of
the CTBoyles.
S2 Irish Local Names explained.
Boyounagh ; yellow ounagh or marsh (abhnach}.
Braade; same as Braid.
Brackagh, Brackenagh, Brackernagh, Bracklagh; a
speckled place, from breac, speckled.
Bracklin, Brackloon ; Breac-cluain, speckled meadow.
Braid, the, in Antrim ; applied to the deep glen through
which the river flows ; Braghad [brand], a gullet or
gorge.
Brandon hill in Kerry, and also in Kilkenny; both
called from St. Brendan the Navigator, who flourished
in the sixth century.
Bray in Wicklow : it is called Bree in old documents,
and it took name from the rocky head near it : Bri
[bree], a hill. The name of Bray head in Yalentia
Island in Kerry, is similarly derived.
Breaghva, Breaghwy, Breaghy; Breach-nihagTi [Brea-
vah], the plain of the wolves (breach, a wolf; magh,
a plain).
Breandrum ; stinking drum or ridge.
Brigowu near Mitchelstown in Cork; written Bri-gobh-
unn [Breegown] in the Book of Lismore, the bree or
hill of the smith (gobha).
Brittas; speckled land.
Britway in Cork ; a corruption of Breaghva, which
see.
Brockagh ; a place of brocs or badgers.
Bruff in Limerick; a corrupt form of Brugh [bru],
a fort or mansion. The brugh is the old fort near the
town.
Bruis ; another form of Brugh [bru], a mansion.
Bruree in Limerick ; called in Irish documents Brugh-
righ [Bruree], the fort or palace of the king ; for it
was the chief seat of Olioll Olum, king of Munster in
the second century, and afterwards of the O'Donovans.
Several of the old forts still remain.
Bullaun; Bulldn, a well in a rock.
Bun ; the bottom or end of anything ; the mouth of a
river.
Buncrana ; the mouth of the river Crana.
Bunlahy ; the end of the lahayh or slough.
Bunratty in Clare; the mouth of the river Katty, now
called the Owen O'Garney.
frisk Local Names explained. $3
Burren ; Boireann, a rock, a rocky district.
Burriscarra; the burris or borough of the old territory
of Carra.
Burrishoole ; derived like Burriscarra, from the territory
of UmJiall [ool] or " The Owles."
Burrisnafarney in Tipperary; the burris or borough of
the alder-plain (see Farney).
Buttevant in Cork; from the French motto of the
Barrys, Boutez-cn-avant, push forward. The Irisli
name is Kilnarnullagh, the cell or church of the sum-
mits (mullach).
Cabragh; bad land.
Caher; catJiair [caherj. a circular stone fort.
Caherbarnagh ; gapped ct/.r or fort: (bcarncch, gapped).
Caherconlish in Limerick, Cathair-chinn-lis, the calm
at the head of the Us or fort. .
Caherduggan; Duggan's calier or stone fort.
Cahergal; white calier or stone fort.
Caherkeen in Cork ; beautiful caher or fort.
Cahersiveen in Kerry: it exactly preserves the pronun-
ciation of the Irish name Cathair-Saidhblun, the stone
fort of Saidhbhin, or Sabina, a woman's name.
Cahirconree mountain near Tralee ; Curofs caher, i.e.
the celebrated chief, Guroi Mac Daire, who flourished
in the first century. His caher still remains on a
shoulder of the mountain.
Caldragh; Cealdrach, an old burying ground.
Callow; Gala, a marshy meadow along a river.
Callowhill; Collchoill, hazel wood (coll and coill).
Caltragh; same as Caldragh.
Calluragh; Ceatturach, an old burial ground.
Camas, Camus; any thing that winds, a winding stream :
from cam, crooked.
Camlin; crooked line; often applied to a river.
Camlough ; crooked lake (cam and loch}.
Cappa, Cappagh; ceapach, a plot of land laid down for
tillage.
Cappaghbeg ; little tillage-plot.
Cappaghmore, Cappamore; great tillage-plot.
Cappaghwhite in Tipperary; White's tillage-plot.
Capparoe; red plot.
24 frisk Local Names explained.
Cappog, Cappoge ; little cappagh or plot.
Cappoquin; Ceapach-Chuinn, Conn's tillage-plot.
Caran, Caraun ; a rocky place (from carr).
Carbury baronies in Longford and Sligo ; so called
because they were inhabited by the descendants of
Carbery, one of the sons of Niall of the Nine Host-
ages, king of Ireland from A. D. 379 to 405.
Cargagh ; a rocky place (from carraig].
Cargan, Cargin; a little rock, a rocky place.
Carha; Cairthe [carha], a pillar stone.
Carhoo; ceathramhadh [carhoo], a quarter (of land).
Carlingford ; ford is the Danish fiord, a sea inlet; the
old Irish name is Cairlinn ; Carlingford, the fiord of
tairlinn.
Carlow; called in Irish documents Cetherloch [Caher-
lough], quadruple lake (cether, four); the Barrow an-
ciently formed four lakes there.
Cam ; a monumental heap of stones.
Carnacally ; the earn of the hag (cailleacK].
Carnalbanagh ; the earn of the Albanach or Scotchman.
Carnaun ; little earn or monumental heap.
Carnbane ; white earn (ban [bawn], white).
Carndonagh in Innishowen ; so called because the earn
was situated in the parish of Donagh.
Carnew; Carn-Naoi [Nee], Naoi's earn.
Carnglass ; green earn.
Carnlough ; the earn of the lake.
Carnmore; great earn.
Carnsore Point. The old Irish name is earn, a monu-
mental heap; the termination are is Danish, and sig-
nifies the sandy point of a promontory: Carnsore is
merely Cam's ore, the ore or sandy point of the earn.
Carnteel in Tyrone; Carn-tSiadhail [Carn-teel], F. MM
SiadhaVs or Shiel's earn (s eclipsed).
Carn Tierna near Fermoy. Tighernach [Tierna] Tet-
bannach, king of Munster in the first century, was
buried under the great earn which still remains on
the top of the hill; and hence the name, signifying
Tiorna's cam.
Carntogher hills in Londonderry ; the earn of the togher
or causeway.
Irish Local Names explained. 25
Carrantuohill, the highest mountain in Ireland. It
descends on the Killarney side by a curved edge,
which the spectator catches in profile, all jagged and
serrated with great masses of rock projecting like
teeth. Tuaihail [thoohil] means left-handed, and is
applied to anything reversed from its proper direc-
tion; carrdn is a reaping hook; and Carrantuohill is
"the reversed reaping hook," because the teeth are
on a convex instead of a concave edge.
Carrick ; a rock, Irish carraig [carrig].
Carrickbeg ; little rock.
Carrickduff; black rock.
Carrickfergus ; Fergus's rock.
Carrickmore; great rock.
Carrick-on-Shannon. Carrick is here a corruption of
carra, a weir; and the place took its name from an
ancient weir across the Shannon. Its old anglicised
name was Carrickdrumrusk, properly Carra-Drum-
rusk, the weir of Drumrusk.
Carrick-on-Suir ; the rock of the Suir; from a large rock
in the bed of the river.
Carrig; a rock, the same as Carrick.
Carrigafoyle on the Shannon, near Ballylongford; Car-
raig-a'-phoill, the rock of the hole ; from a deep hole
in the river, near the castle.
Carrigaholt in Clare ; written by the F. M., Carraig-an-
cholhlaigh [CarrigahowlyJ, the rock of the fleet; and
it took its name from the rock which rises over the
bay where the fleets anchored. The local pronuncia-
tion of the Irish name is Carrigaholty, from which
the present name is derived. Another place of the
same name which preserves the correct pronunciation,
is Carrigahowly on Newport bay in Mayo, the castl*
of the celebrated Grace O'Malley.
Carrigaline in Cork ; the rock of O'Lehane.
Carrigallen in Leitrim; Carraig-dluinn, beautiful rock;
from the rock on which the original church waa
built.
Carrigan, Carrigane ; little rock.
Cai rigans ; little rocks.
Carrigdownane ; Downan's or Downina's rocl
26 Irish Local Nftnws explained.
Carrigeen; little rock: Carrrigeens; little rocks.
Carrignavar in Cork ; see page 3.
Carrigogunnell near the Shannon in Limerick; Carraig-
O-gCoinnelii, F. M., the rock of the O'Counells.
Carrigroe; red rock.
Carrow; a quarter (of land). See Carhoo.
Carroward; liigh quarter-land.
Carrowbane, Carrowbaun ; white quarter-land.
Cairo wbeg; little quarter-land.
Carrowcrin ; the quarter-land of the tree (crann}.
Carrowduff; black quarter- land.
Carrowgarriff, Carrowgarve ; rough quarter (garbh,
rough).
Carrowkeel ; narrow quarter (cael, narrow).
Carrowraanagh ; middle quarter-land.
Carrowmore: great quarter-land.
Carrownaglogh ; the quarter of the stones (clock}.
Carrownamaddoo, Carrownamaddra, Carrownamaddy ,
the quarter of the dogs (madadh, and madradh).
Carrowntober ; the quarter-land of the well (tolar).
Carrowreagh, Carrowrevagh ; grey quarter (riabhach).
Carrowroe ; red quarter-land.
Cartron ; an Anglo-Norman word, meaning a quarter
of land.
Cashel : all the places of this name, including Cashel in
Tipperaiy, were so called from a caiseal [cashel] or
circular stone fort.
Cashen river; casdn a path; for this river was, as it
were, the high road into Kerry.
Cushion ; Caislen, a castle.
Castlebane, Castlebaun ; white castle.
Castlebar in Mayo ; shortened from Castle-Barry ; for it
belonged to the Barrys after the English invasion.
Castlecomer ; the castle of the river-confluence (comar).
Castleconnell near Limerick : see page 3.
Castledermot in Kildare. The old name was Disert-
dermot, Diarrnad's desert or hermitage, from Diarmad
son of the king of TJlidia, who founded a monastery
there about A. D. 800. The present form of the
name is derived from a castle built there by Walter
de Riddlesford in the time of Strongbow.
Irish Local Names explained. 27
Castledillon in Kildare ; Irish name Disert-Iolladhttn
[Disertillan], lolladhan' , or Illan's hermitage; and
the word Castle wa? ^bstituted for Disert as in last
name.
Castlelyons in Cork ; the castle of O'Lehant or Lyons.
Castlemoyle; bald or dilapidated castle (mael).
Castlepook; the castle of the pooka or spright.
Castlerahan; the castle of the little rath or fort.
Castlereagh ; grey castle (riabhach}.
Castleterra in Cavan ; a corruption from the Irish Cos-
a'-tsiorraigh [Cussatirry], the f oot(cos) of the searrach
or foal. The name is accounted for by a legend
about a stone with the print of a colt's foot on it.
Castleventry in Cork ; the Irish name is Caislean-na-
gaeithe [Cashlaunnageeha], the castle of the wind,
of which the present name is a kind of translation.
Cavan; Cabhan, a hollow place. In some parts of UJ-
ster it is understood to mean a hard round hill.
Cavanacaw ; the round hill of the chaff (catJi] ; from
the practice of winnowing.
Cavanaleck; the hill of the flag- stone.
Cavanreagh ; grey hill (rialhach [reagh] grey).
Celbridge in Kildare ; the cell, kill, or church, of the
bridge; a kind of half translation from the original
Irish name Cill-droichid [Kildrohed], the church of
the drohed or bridge, which is still retained as the
name of the parish, but shortened to Kildrought.
Cheek Point on the Suir below "Waterford ; a corruption
of Sheega Point, the Irish name being Pomte-na-s'ige,
the point of the sheegas or fairies.
Claggan ; Claigeann, the skull, a round hill.
Clankee, barony of, in Cavan; Clann-an-chaoich \_Clann-
an-kee~\, the clan or descendants of the one-eyed man.
They derived this cognomen from Niall O'Reilly,
slain in 1256, who was called caech [kee], i. e. one-
eyed.
Clanmaurice, barony of, in Kerry; the clan or descend-
ants of Maurice Fitzgerald.
Clan william, baronies of, in Limerick and Tipperary;
the clan or descendants of William Burke.
Clara, Claragh ; a level place ; from dor.
28 Irish Local Names explained.
Clare; a level piece of land (clar).
Clurcen ; little clar or level plain.
Clare-Gal \vay. Irish name Baile-an cAtair[r>allinclare],
F. M., the town of the plain ; of which only the latter
part is retained: called Clare- Galway to distinguish it
from other Clares.
Clash ; Clais, a trench or farrow.
Clashduff ; black trench.
ClashgannifF, Clashganniv, Clashganny ; the trench of
the sand, i. e. a sandpit (gainimh [ganniv], sand).
Clashmore; great trench.
Cleenish ; Claen-inis [Cleeninish], sloping init or island.
Cleggan ; the same as Claggan.
Cliiden in Galway; a very modern corruption of the
Irish name Clochdn, which signifies a beehive-shaped
stone house.
Cliffs of Moher. The term Mothar [Moher] is applied
in the south of Ireland to the ruin of a caher, rath,
or fort; and on a cliff near Hag's Head there stands
an old stone fort, called Moher O'Ruan, 0' Kuan's
ruined fort, from which the cliffs of Moher received
their name.
Clogh; a stone; often applied also to a stone castle.
Cloghan, Cloghane, Cloghaun; a row of stepping stone*
across a river (from clock}.
Cloghbally; stony bally or townland.
Cloghboley, Cloghboola; stony booley or dairy place.
Cloghbrack ; speckled stone.
Cloghcor; rough stone.
Clogheen ; little stone or stone castle.
Clogh er; generally applied to stony land — a place full
of stones; but occasionally it means a rock.
Clogherbrien in Kerry ; Braen's stony place.
Cloghereen ; a place full of stones (clocfy.
Cloghermore ; great stony place.
Cloghernagh, Clogherny; a stony place.
Cloghfin; Cloch-jinn, white stone.
Cloghineely in Donegal; Clock- Chinnfhaelaidh [Clogh-
Kineely], F.M., Kineely's or Mac Khieely's stone.
Name accounted for by a long legend. The stone
which give name to the district is still preserved.
Irish Local Names explained. 2b
Cloghoge ; a stony place.
Cloghpook; the pooka's or spright's stone.
Cloghran ; Cloichrean, a stony place.
Cloghvoley, Cloghvoola, Cloghvoolia, Cloghvoula ; Cloch-
bhuaile, stony booley or dairy place.
Cloghy ; a stony place.
Clogrennan ; Cloch-grianain, the stone castle of the
grianan or summer residence.
Clomantagh in Kilkenny; Mantagh's stone castle.
Clon ; a meadow. See Cloon.
Clonad; Cluain-fhada [Cloonada], long meadow
Clonagh; Cluain- each, horse meadow.
Clonallan in Down ; called by Colgan and others Cluain-
Dallain, Dalian's meadow ; from Dalian Forgall, a
celebrated poet of the sixth century.
Clonalvy ; Cluain- A ilbhe, Ailbhe's or Alvy's meadow.
Clonamery ; the meadow of the iomaire or ridge.
Clonard in Meath ; written in Irish authorities Cluain-
Eraird, Erard's meadow. There are several other
places called Clonard and Cloonard ; but in these the
Irish form is probably Cluain-ard, high meadow.
Clonarney; Cluain-airne, the meadow of sloes.
Clonaslee; the meadow of the slight, [slee] or road.
Clonbeg; little meadow.
Clonbrock; the meadow of the brocs or badger?.
Cloncrew in Limerick; Cluain- creamho [crawa], the
meadow of wild garlick.
Cloncullen; holly meadow.
Cloncurry; shortened from Cluain- Conaire [Cloon-Cou-
ary], F. M., Conary's meadow.
Clondalkin near Dublin; Cluain- Dolcain, Dolcan's
meadow.
Clonduff in Down; Cluain-daimh [dav], O'C. Cal., the
meadow of the ox.
Clone ; a meadow ; same as Clon and Cloon.
Cloncen ; little meadow.
Clonegall in Carlow; Cluain-na-nGall [Cloon-nung-
aul], the meadow of the Galls or foreigners.
Clonenagh in Queen's County ; Cluain-eid/mech [enagh ],
O'C. Cal., the meadow of ivy (see eidhnedn in
Vocab.). It was so called before the sixth century,
and to this day it abounds in ivy.
30 Irish Local Names explained.
Clones (pronounced in two syllables); Cluain- Eois
[Cloonoce], F. M., the meadow of Eos [Oce], a man's
name.
Clonfad, Clonfadda, and Cloonfad; Cluain-fada, long
meadow.
Clonfeacle in Tyrone; called Cluain-fiacla [feekla] in
the Book of Leinster; the meadow of the tooth.
Clonfert: the Book of Leinster writes the name Cluain-
ferta, the meadow of the grave.
Clongill ; Cluain- Gaill, the meadow of the foreigner.
Clongowes ; the meadow of the smith (gobha).
Clonkeen ; Cluain-caein [keen], beautiful meadow.
Clonlea, Clonleigh, and Cloonlee ; Cluain-laegh [lee],
the meadow of the calves.
Clonliff; the meadow of herbs (lubh, an herb).
Clonmacnoise ; written in Irish documents of the eighth
century Cluain-maccu-Nois, which was the old pa. an
name ; and it signifies the meadow of the sons of
ffos. This Nos was the son of Fiadhach [Feeagh], a
chief of the tribe of Dealbhna or Delvin, in whose
territory Clonmacnoise was situated.
Clonmeen ; Cluain-min [meen], smooth meadow.
Clonmel ; Cluain-meala [malla], the meadow of honey
(mil).
Clonmellon ; Cluatn-tmlatn, F. M., Milan's meadow.
Clonmelsh; Cluain-milis, sweet meadow (from honey).
Clonmore ; great meadow.
Clonmult; the meadow of the wethers (molt).
Clonoghil ; the meadow of the yew- wood (edchaill).
Clonoulty; Cluain-Ultaigh [ulty], the Ulsterman's
meadow.
Clonshire ; Cluain-siar, western meadow.
Clonsilla ; Cluain-saileach, the meadow of sallows.
Clonskeagh ; Cluain- sceach, the meadow of the white
thorns.
Clontarf ; Cluain-tarbh [tarriv], F. M., the meadow of
the bulls.
Olontibret ; written by the annalists Cluain-tiobrat, the
meadow of the spring (tipra, same as tobar).
Clonturk, and Cloonturk ; the boar's meadow (tore\
Clonty ; same as Cloonty, which see.
Irish Local Names explained 31
CWygowan ; Cluain-na-ngamhan \_Cloon-nung-own},
F. M., the meadow of the calves.
Clonyhurk; Cluam-da-thorc [Cloonahork],' F. M., the
meadow of the two boars.
Cloon, and Cloone; a meadow. See Cluain in Vocabu-
lary.
Cloonagh ; the meadow of horses (each}.
Cloonard. See Clonard.
Cloonawillin ; Cluain-cf-mhuilinn, the meadow of the
mill.
Cloonbeg; little meadow.
Clooncah; the meadow of the battle (calh\
Clooncoose, Clooncose; Cluaw-cuas, F. M., the mea-
dow of the caves.
Clooncraff; same as Cloncrew.
Clooncunna, Clooncunnig, Clooncunny; the meadow of
the firewood (conadh).
Cloondara; Cluain-da-rath, F. M., the meadow of the
two raths or forts.
Cloonee and Clooney ; meadow land.
Clooneen; little meadow.
Cloonfinlough ; the meadow of the clear lake.
Cloonkeen; Cluain-caein, beautiful meadow.
Cloonlara; the meadow of the mare (Idrach}.
Cloon lougher; the meadow of the rushes (luachra).
Cloonmore ; great meadow.
Cloonnagashel in Mayo. See page 2.
Cloonshannagh, Cloonshinnagh ; fox meadow (sionnach).
Cloonshee ; the meadow of the fairies (sidli).
Cloonsillagh ; the meadow of sallows.
Cloonteen ; little meadow.
Cloonties ; Clnainte, meadows (English plural form).
Cloontubbrid ; same as Clontibret.
Cloontuskert ; Cluain-tuaisceirt [tooskert], F. M., nor'
them meadow.
Cloonty ; Cluainie, meadows, plural of cluain.
Cloran, Clorane, Clorhane ; a stony place (clock).
Olough; a stone or stone castle.
doyne in Cork; shortened from Cluain-uamha [Cloon-
ooa], as it is written in the Book of Leinster. The
32 Irish Local Names explained.
name signifies the meadow of the cave (uaimh} ; and
the cave is still to be seen.
Clyduff; black dyke or mound (cladh).
Colehill; Coll-chotll, lu-zel wood.
Coleraine. We are told in the Tripartite Life of St.
Patrick, that a chieftain named Nadslua presented
the saint with a piece of land on the bank of th(
river Bann, on which to build a church. It was a
»pot overgrown with ferns, and it happened at the
moment that some boys were amusing themselves by
setting them on fire. Hence the place was called
Cuil-rathain [Coolrahen], which Colgan translates
Secessus filicis, the corner (cuil] of the ferns. Cool-
rain, Coolrainey and Coolrahnee, are similarly de-
rived.
Collon ; a place of hazels (colF).
Colp near Drogheda. According to an ancient legend,
when the Milesian brothers invaded Ireland, one of
them, Colpa the swordsman, was drowned at the
mouth of the Boyne; hence it was called Inver-
Colpa, Colpa's river mouth ; and the parish of Colp,
on its southern bank, retains the latter part of the
name a little shortened.
Comber, Comer ; see page 4.
Com maun ; a little cum or hollow.
Conicar, Conicker, Conigar, Coneykeare; Cuinicer [cun-
nikere], a rabbit warren.
Conlig ; the Hag or stone of the hounds (cu).
Connello, baronies of, in Limerick. This was the an-
cient territory of the tribe of Hy Conall or Hy
Conaill Gabra [Goura] (so written in the Boot of
Leinster), who were descended and named from
Conall, the ninth in descent from Olioll Olum, king
of Munster in the second century.
Connemara. Maev, queen of Connaught in the time
of Conor mac Nessa, had three sons by Fergus mac
Roy, ex-king of Ulster, namely, Ciar [Keer], Con-
mac, and Modhruadh [Moroo]. The descendants of
Conmac were called ConmacnS (ne, a progeny), and
they were settled in Connaught, where they gave
name to several territories. One of these, viz., thp
Irish Local Names exy ">ued> 3<1
district lying west of Lough Corrib and Lough Mask,
from its situation near the sea, was called, to distin*
tinguish it from the •thers, Conmacne-mara (O'Dugan :
muir, the sea, gen. marei), or the sea-side Conmacne,
which has been shortened to the present name Con-
nemara.
Connor in Antrim ; written Condeire or Condaire in
various authorities; the derry or oak wood of the
dogs (cu~), or as it is explained in a gloss in the Mar-
tyrology of Aengus, "The oak wood in which were
wild dogs formerly, and she wolves used to dwell
therein."
Convoy, Conva ; Con-mhagh, hound plain (cu and
magh).
Conwal; Congbhail [Congwal], F. M., a habitation.
Cooga, Coogue ; Coigeadh [Coga], a fifth part.
Cool, Coole ; cuil, a corner, or cul, a back.
Coolattin ; the corner of the furze (aiteann).
Coolavin, a barony in Sligo ; Cuil- O'bhFinn [Coolovin].
F. M., the corner or angle of the O'Finns.
Coolbanagher ; the angle of the pinnacles. (See Bana
gher.)
Coolbane, Coolbaun ; white corner or back.
Coolcashin ; Cashin's corner or angle.
Coolderry ; back derry or oak word.
Cooleen, little corner ; Cooleeny, little corners.
Cooleeshal, Coolishal ; low corner (iseal).
Cooley hills near Carlingford. After the defeat of the
Tuatha De Dananns by the Milesians, at Teltown in
Meath, the Milesian chief Cuailgne [Cooley], follow-
ing up the pursuit, was slain here ; and the district
was called from him, Cuailgne, which name is stilt
applied to the range of hills.
Coolgreany ; sunny corner or back ((/rian the sun).
Coolhill and Coolkill; cul-choill, back wood.
Coolnahinch ; the corner of the inist island, or river
meadow.
Coolock, Coologe ; little corner or angle.
Coolroe ; red corner or back.
Coom, Coombe ; cum, a hollow or mountain valley.
Coomnagoppul at Killarney ; Cum-na ycapall, the hoi-
84 Irish Local Names explained.
low or valley of the horses; from the practice of
sending horses to graze in it.
CoomyduffnearKillarney; Cum ui-Dhuibh [Ooomywiv],
O'Duff's valley; usually but erroneously translated
Black valley.
Coos, Goose ; cuas, a cave.
Coosan, Coosane, Coosaun ; little cave.
Cor, Corr. This word has several meanings, but it
generally signifies a round hill.
Corballis, Corbally; odd townland : cor here means odd.
Corbeagh ; round hill of the birch (leith}.
Corcomohide in Limerick ; Corca-Muichet (Book of Lis-
more), the race (corca) of Muichet, one of the disciples
of the druid, Mogh Ruith.
Corcomroe, barony of, in Clare ; Corca-Modkruadh or
Corcomruadh [Corcomrua : Book of Leinster], the
race (cored) of Afodhruadh, son of queen Maev. (See
Connemara.)
Corcreevy ; branchy hill. Cracbh [creeve], a branch.
Cordangan; fortified cor or round hill.
Cordarragh ; round hill of the oak (dair).
Corduff ; black round hill.
Corgarve ; rough round hill (garbh).
Corglass ; green round hill (fflas}.
Corick ; the meeting of two rivers.
Cork ; Corcack, a marsh. The city grew round a mo-
nastery founded in the sixth century on the edge of
a marsh, by St. Finbar ; and even yet a part of the
city is called the Marsh.
Corkagh ; the same name as Cork.
Corkaguiny, barony of, in Kerry; Corca- Duibbne (divny :
O'Dugan], the race (corca} of Duibkne, son of Carbery
Muse, who was son of Conary II., king of Ireland
from A. D. 158 to 165. D changed to g : see page 4.
Corkaree, barony of, in Westmeath ; Corca Raeidhe [Ree :
O'Dugan], the race (corca) of Fiacha Raidhe [Feeha
Ree], grandson of Felimy the Lawgiver, king of Ire-
land from A.D. Ill to 119.
Corkeeran, Corrakeeran ; the round hill of the keerant
or quicken trees (caerthainii).
Corkey; the same name as Cork and Corkagh.
Irish Local Names explained. 35
Corlat ; the round hill of the sepulchres (leachfy.
Corlea; grey round hill.
Corlough ; the lake of the corrs or herons,
Cormeen ; smooth round hill.
Cornacreeve ; the round hill of the branchy tree (craelh\
Cornagee,- Cornageeha; the round hill of the wind
(gaeth).
Cornahoe ; the round hill of the cave (uaimh).
Cornamucklagh ; the round hill of the piggeries. See
Mucklagh.
Cornaveagh ; the round hills of the ravens (fiacJi).
Corratober; the round hill of the well (tolar}.
Corrinshigo, Corrinshigagh ; the round hill of the ash
trees. See Fuinnse in Vocabulary.
Corrofin in Clare; Coradh-Finne [Corrafinna], F. M.,
the weir of Finna, a woman's name.
Corskeagh ; the round hill of the white thorns.
Coshbride, Coshlea, Coshma, baronies, the first in
Waterford, the others in Limerick. Cosh (Irish cois,
from cos a foot), means at the foot of, near, beside.
Coshbride, the barony along the river Bride. Cosh-
lea, cois-shleibhe [cushleva], at the foot of the sliabh
or mountain, i. e. the Galties. Coshma, Cois-Maighc
[ma], the barony along the river Maigue.
Craan, Craane ; a stony place (from carr).
Crag, Craig ; other forms of carraig, a rock.
Gran; Crann, a tree.
Cranfield; a corruption of Creamh-choill [Cravwhill],
the wood (coill) of wild garlic (creamJi).
Crannagh ; a place abounding in cranns or trees.
Crannoge ; a habitation on an artificial island in a lake.
Cranny; the'same as Crannagh.
Cratloe, Crataloe ; sallow wood.
Craughwell; Creamh-choill, wild garlic wood.
Crecora in Limerick; Craelh-cumhraidhe [Crave-coory]
O'Dugan, sweet scented creeve or branchy tree.
Creevagh ; a branchy place (craebh\
Creeve ; Craebh [creeve], a branch, a branchy tree.
Creevelea ; grey branch or branchy tree.
Creevy ; the same as Creevagh.
Greg, Gregg ; Creag, a rock.
36 Irish Local Names explained,
Creggan, Creggane, Creggaun ; little rock, rocky ground.
Cremorne barony in Monaghan ; Crioch - Mughdhorn
[Cree-Mourne], the country (crioch] of the tribe of
Mughdhorna [Mourn a], who were descended and
named from Mughdhorn [Mourne], the son of Colla
Meann, one of the three brothers who conquered
Ulster, and destroyed the palace of Emania in A. D.
332.
Crew ; the same name as Creeve.
Croagh ; Cruach, a rick or stacked up hill.
Croaghan, Croaghaun ; a round or piled up hill.
Croaghpatrick ; St. Patrick's rick or hill.
Crock is very generally used in the northern half of
Ireland instead of Knock, a hill.
Crockanure ; Cnoc-an-tubhair, the hill of the yew.
Crogh ; the same as Croagh.
Croghan, Crohane ; the same as Croaghan.
Crossakeel ; slender crosses.
Crossan, Crossane, Crossaun ; little cross.
Crossboyne; Cros-Haetthin, HyF., Baeithin's or Boync's
cross.
Crosserlough ; the cross on (air] or near the lake.
Crossgar ; short cross.
Crossmaglen in Armagh ; Cros-meg-Fhloinn [Cros-meg-
lin : fh silent], the cross of Flann's son.
Crossmolina in Mayo; Cros - ui- Mhaelfhina, F. M.,
O'Mulleeny's or Mullany's cross.
Crossoge ; little cross.
Crossreagh ; grey cross (riabhach}.
Crott; Cruit, a hump, a humpy backed hill.
Cruagh ; the same as Croagh.
Cruit ; the same as Crott.
Crumlin, Cromlin; Gruim-ghlinn, [Crumlin], F. M.,
curved glen.
Crusheen ; Croisin, little cross.
Cuilbeg, Cuilmore ; little wood, great wood (coilt).
Culdaff; Cul-dnbhach [Culdava], the back (CM?; of the
flax-dam or pool.
Culfeightrin in Antrim ; Cuil-eachtrann [Coolagh trail],
the corner (cuil) of the strangers.
Cullan, CulLme, Cullaun ; a place of hazels (coll}
Irish Local Names explained. 37
Culleen ; Coill'm, little wood.
Cullen ; Cuillionn [Cullen], holly, holly land.
Cullenagh ; a place producing holly.
Cullentra, Cullentragh ; same as Cullenagh.
Cullenwaine in King's County ; Cuil-0-nDulhain [Cool'
onuan], F. M., the corner or angle of the O'Duanes,
Cullion ; the same as Cullen.
Cully ; woodland ; from coill.
Culmullen in Meath ; the angle of the mill.
Cumber, Cummer. See page 4.
Curra, Curragh ; currach, generally a marsh ; some-
times a race course.
(Jurrabaha, Currabeha ; the marsh of the birch.
Curraghbeg ; little marsh.
Curraghboy ; yellow marsh.
Curraghduff; black marsh.
Curraghlahan, Curraghlane ; broad marsh.
Curraghmore ; great marsh.
Curragh of Kildare. The word here means a race
course : the Curragh of Kildare has been used as a
race course from the earliest ages.
Curraheen ; little currach or marsh.
Curry ; another form of Curragh, a marsh.
Gush. See Coshbride.
Cushendall in Antrim ; Cois-alhann-Dhalla [Cush-oun--
dalla], the foot or termination of the river Dall.
Cushendun in Antrim ; called by the F. M., Bun-
abhann-Duine, the end, i. e. the mouth of the river
Dun ; this was afterwards changed to Cots-abhann-
Duine [Cush-oun-Dunny] by the substitution of Cois,
the foot or end for Bun.
Cutteen ; Coitchionn [cutteen], common, a commonage.
Dalkey Island near Dublin. The Irish name is Delg-
inis (O'C. Cal.), thorn island; which the Danes, who
had a fortress on it in the tenth century, translated
to the present name, by changing Delg into their
word Dalk, a thorn ; and substituting the northern
word ey, an island, for mis.
Dangan ; Dainyean [dangan], a fortress.
Dangandargan in Tipperary ; Dargan's fortress.
Dariagh ; a place producing oaks (dair\
38 Irish Local Names explained.
Darraragh, Darrery ; an oak forest, a place abounding
in oaks (Dairbhreach).
Dawros ; Damhros, the peninsula of oxen (damh and
ros).
Deelis, Deelish ; Duilh-lios [Divlis], black Us or fort.
Delvin. There were formerly seven tribes called Dealbh-
na [Dalvana], descended and named from Lugh-
aidh Dealbhaeth [Lewy Dalway], who was the son
of Cos mac Tail (seventh in descent from Olioll
Olum : see Connello), the ancestor of the -Dalcassians
of Thomond : Dealbhna, i. e. Dealbhaeth' s descendants.
None of these have perpetuated their name except
one, viz., Dealbhna mor, or the great Dealbhna, from
whom the barony of Delvin in Westmeath received
its name.
Dernish, Derinch, Derinish; oak island (dair).
Derrada, Derradd ; Doire-fhada, long oak grove.
Derragh ; the same as Darragh.
Derreen ; little derry or oak grove or wood.
Derreens, Derries ; oak groves.
Derry ; Doire [Derry], an oak grove or wood.
Derryad, Derryadda ; Doire-fhada, long oak wood.
Derry bane, Derrybawn ; whitish oak wood.
Derrybeg ; little oak wood.
Derrycreevy ; the oak wood of the branchy tree.
Derrydorragh, Derrydorraghy ; dark oak wood (dorcha)
Derryduff; black oak wood.
Derryfadda; long oak wood.
Derrygarriff, Derry garve ; rough oak wood (garbh).
Derrylahan, Derrylane; broad oak wood (leathan).
Derry lea ; grey oak wood.
"Derrylough, Derry loughan ; the oak wood of the lake.
Derryraore ; great oak wood.
Derrynahinch ; the oak wood of the island or river
meadow (inis).
Derrynane in Kerry, Doire- Fkionain [Derry -Eenane:
Fh silent], the oak grove of St. Finan Cam, a native
of Corkaguiny, who flourished in the sixth century.
Derrynaseer ; the oak grove of the saers or carpenters.
Derryvullan in Fermanagh ; Doire-Maelain [Derry-
Velan : M aspirated], F. 1C., Maelan's oak grove.
Desert : Disert, a desert or hermitage.
Irish Local Names explained. 39
Desertcreat ; corrupted from Disert-da- Chrioch [Di-
sert-a-cree], F.M., the hermitage of the two ter-
ritories.
Desertegny ; Egnagh's hermitage.
Desertmartin ; Martin's hermitage.
Desertmore ; great desert or hermitage.
Desertserges in Cork ; Sai;rgluis's hermitage.
Devenish Island in Lough Erne; Daimhinis [Davinishj^
F. M., the island of the oxen (damh).
Diamor ; written in the Dinnseanchus, Diamar, i. e., a
solitude.
Dingle ; from Dingin, another form of Daingean, a for-
tress, by a change of n to I (see page 3). Called in
the annals, Daingcan-ui-Chuis, now usually written
Dingle-I-Coush, the fortress of O'Cush, the ancient
proprietor.
Dinish, Deenish ; Duibh- inia [Divinish], black island.
Disert; the same as Desert.
Donabate; Domhnach-a'-bhaid, the church of the boat.
Donagh; Domhnach [Downagh], a church.
Donaghcloney in Down; the church of the cluain or
meadow.
Donaghcumper in Kildare; the church of the cummer or
confluence.
Donaghedy in Tyrone ; Domhnach- Chaeide [Donaheedj' J,
the church of St. Caidoc, 9 companion of St. Colura-
banus.
Donaghmore; great church.
Donaghmoyne in Monaghan; Domhnach- Maighin, the
church of the little pkin.
Donard ; high dun or fort.
Donegal. The Danes had a settlement there before the
Anglo-Gorman invasion ; and hence it was called
Dun-na-nGall [Doonagall], the fortress of the Galls
or foreigners.
Doneraile in Cork ; written in the Book of Lismore
Dun-air-aill, the fortress on the cliff.
Donnybrook ; Domhnach- Broc, St. Broc's church.
Donnycarney ; GearnacKs or Carney's church.
Donohill; the fortress of the yew wood (eochaill).
Donore; Dun-ua^hair [Dunoor], F. M. the fort of
pride.
40 Irish Local Navies explained.
Doogary; Dubhdhoire [Dooary], black derry or oak
wood.
Doon ; Dun, a fortress.
Doonan, Doonane ; little dun or fort.
Doonard ; high fort.
Doonass near Killaloe; Dun-easa, the fortress of the
cataract, i. e. the great rapid on the Shannon.
Doonbeg; little fortress.
Doondonnell ; Donall's fortress.
Dooneen; little fort.
Doonfeeny; the fort of Finna (a woman).
Doonisky, Dunisky ; the fort of the water (uisge).
Doonooney; Una's fort.
Douglas ; Dubh-ghlaise, black stream.
Down ; a form of Dun, a fortress.
Downings ; Dooneens or little forts.
Downpatrick takes its name from the large* en trenched
dun near the cathedral. In the first century this
fortress was the residence of a warrior of the Red
Branch Knights, called Celtchair, or Keltar of the
battles, from whom it is called in Irish authorities,
Dunkeltar. By ecclesiastical writers it is commonly
called Dun-da-leth-glas, the fortress of the two broken
locks (glas) or fetters. This long name was afterwards
shortened to Dun or Down, which was extended to
.the county. The name of St. Patrick was added, to
•commemorate his connexion with the place.
Downs; duns or forts.
Dreen; Draeighean [dreean], the blackthorn.
Dreenagh ; a place producing blackthorns.
Dreenan; blackthorn, a place of blackthorns.
Drehidtarsna in Limerick ; cross bridge.
Dressoge, Dressogagh; a briery or bushy place.
Dresternagh, Dresternan, Dristernan; same as Dres-
soge.
Drim; a form of druim, a ridge.
Drimeen, Drimmeen; little ridge.
Drimna, Drimnagh; ridges, a place full of ridges or
hills.
Drinagh, Drinaghan ; a place producing dreens or black-
thorns.
Irish Local Names explained. 41
Drinan, Drinaun; the same as Dreenan.
Drishaghaun, Drishane, Drishoge; same as Drcssoge,
Droghed ; DroicJiead, a bridge.
Drogheda; Droiched-atha [Drohedaha], F. M., the
bridge of the ford ; from the ford across the Boyne,
used before the erection of a bridge.
Drom ; Dritim, a ridge or long hill.
Dromada, Dromadda ; long drum or ridge.
Drombeg, Drumbeg; small ridge.
Dromcolliher in Limerick ; a corruption of Druim-Coll-
choille [Drum-Collohill], the ridge of the hazel wood.
Dromdaleague in Cork; the ridge of the two Hags or
pillar stones.
Dromgarriff ; rough ridge.
Dromin ; same meaning as Drom.
Dromineer in Tipperary ; Druim-inbhir [Druminvcr],
the ridge of the inver or river mouth : because it is
situated near where the Nenagh river enters Lough
Derg.
Dromkeen; beautiful ridge.
Drom ore; great ridge or long hill.
Dromtrasna; cross ridge.
Drum ; Druim, a ridge or long hill.
Drumad; Druim-fhada, long ridge.
Dromadoon; the ridge of the dun or fort.
Drumahaire in Leitrim ; Druim-da-ethiar [Druru-a-
ehir], F. M., the ridge of the two air-demons.
Drumanure ; the ridge of the yew tree.
Drumany, Drummany ; ridges, ridged land.
Drumard ; high ridge or long hill.
Drumatemple; the ridge of the temple or church.
Drumavaddy ; the ridge of the dog (madadh).
Drumballyroney ; the ridge of O'Roney's town.
Dnimbane, Drumbaun ; white ridge.
Drumbarnet, the ridge of the gap (bearna).
Drumbo, Druniboe; Druimbo, F. M., the cow's ridge.
Drumbrughas; the ridge of the farm-house.
Drumcanon ; the ridge of the white-faced cow : ceann-
fhionn [canon], whitehead.
prumcar in Louth; Druim-caradh TDrumcara], F. M.,
the ridge of the weir.
42 Irish Local Names explained.
Drumdiff iu Sligo; Drium-chlialh [Druracleev], F. M.,
the ridge of the baskets.
Drumcolumb ; St. Columba's ridge.
Drumcondra; Conra's ridge.
Drumcrin ; the ridge of the tree (crann).
Drumcrow ; the ridge of the cattle sheds (cro).
Drumcullen, Drumcullion ; the ridge of holly.
Drumderg ; Druim-dearg, red ridge.
Drumduff; Druim-dubh, black ridge.
Drumfad ; Druim-fada, long ridge.
Drumgill ; the ridge of the Gall or foreigner.
Drumgoose, Drumgose; the ridge of the caves (cuas).
Drumgowna, Drumgownagh ; Druim-gamhnach, the ridge
of the heifers.
Drumharriff, Drumherriff; Druim-thairbh [Drum-har-
rivj, the ridge of the bull.
Drumhillagh ; see page 2.
Drumhirk ; Itruim-thuirc, the ridge of the boar.
Drumhome in Donegal. In O'C. Cul. the name is
written Druim-Thuama [DrumhoomaJ, and Adam-
nan translates iiDorsum Tommae, the ridge of Tomraa,
a pagan woman's name.
Drumillard, Drummillar; the eagle's ridge (iolar).
Drumkeen ; beautiful ridge.
Drumkeeran ; the ridge of the quicken trees.
Druralane; Druim-leathan [lahan], F. M., broiid ridge.
Prumlease; Druim-lias, the ridge of the huts.
Drumlish ; the ridge of the Its or fort.
Drumlougher; the ridge of the rushes (luachra).
Drumman ; same meaning as Drum.
Drummeen; little ridge.
Drummin ; same meaning as Drum.
Drummond; a corrupt form of Drumman. See page 4.
Drummuck; the ridge of the pigs (muc}.
Druramully ; the ridge of the summit (mullach).
Drumnacross ; the ridge of the cross.
Urumneen ; little ridge.
Drumquin ; Druim- Chuinn, Conn's ridge.
Urumraine, Drumrainy ; ferny ridge (rdthuin).
Drumreagh ; Druim-riabbuch, grey ridge.
Urumroe ; £>Tuim-ruadh, i ed iidg*.
Jfrish Local Names explained. 43
Drumroosk ; the ridge of the rvosk or marsh.
Drumshallon ; the ridge of the gallows (sealan).
Drumshanbo ; the ridge of the old loth or tent (sean,
old).
Drumsillagh ; see page 2.
Drumsna, Drumsnauv ; Druim-snamha [snawa], the
ridge of the swimming. See Lixnaw.
Drumsurn ; the ridge of the furnace or kiln (sorn).
Duaffh in Kerry; Dulh-ath [Dooah], black ford, from a
ford on the river Feale.
Dublin. The name is written in the annals Duilh-
linn [Duvlin], which, in some of the Latin Lives of
the saints, is translated Nigra therma, black pool ; it
was originally the name of that part of the Liffey on
which the city is built, and is sufficiently descriptive
at the present day. In very early ages an artificial
ford of hurdles was constructed across the Liffey,
where the main road from Tara to Wicklow crossed
the river ; and the city that subsequently sprung up
around it was called from this circumstance Ath-
cliath [Ah-clee], F. H., the ford of hurdles, which was
the ancient name of Dublin. This name is still used
by speakers of Irish in every part of Ireland ; but
they join it to Bally — Baile-atha-cliath (which they
pronounce Blaa-clee), the town of the hurdle ford.
Dufferin, barony of, in Down ; Dubh-thrian [Duv-reen],
F. M., the black treen or third part.
Duhallow in Cork ; Duthaigh-Ealla [Doohy-alla], F. M.,
the district of the Allo, from the Blackwater river, a
portion of which was anciently called the Allo.
Dulane in Heath ; Tuilen, F. M., little tulach or hill.
Duleek in Heath ; Daimhliag [Davleeg], O'C. Cal., stone
house or church (daimh, a house, and Hag).
Dunamase in Queen's County; should have been called
Dunmask, for the Irish name is Dun-Masg, F. M.,
the fortress of Masg, who was one of the ancestors of
the Leinster people.
Dunamon in Galway; so called from a castle of the
same name on the Suck ; but the name, which the
annalists write Dun-Iomgain, Imgan's fort, was an-
ciently applied to a dun, which is still partly pre-
served.
44 Irish Lo a1 Names explained.
Dunboe in Dcrry ; the fortress of the cow.
Dunboyne; Dun-Baeithin, Baeithiri's orBoyne's fort.
Duncannon ; Conan's fortress.
Duncormick ; Cormac's fortress.
Dundalk. The name was originally applied to the great
fortress now called the moat of Castletown, a mile
inland, which was the residence of Cuchullin, chief
of the Bed Branch knights in the first century. Dun-
Dealgan [Dalgan], F. M., the fortress of Delga, a
Firbolg chief, who built it.
Dunderrow in Cork ; written Dun-dermaigi [Dundnr-
wah] in the Book of Leinster, the fortress of the o;ik-
plain (see Burrow) : and the large dun from which it
received the name is still in existence, half a mile
south of the village.
Dundonald in Down, Donall's fortress ; so called from
a fort that stands not far from the church.
Dundrum ; Dun-droma, F. M., the fortress on the ridge
or hill.
Duncane in Antrim ; written in the Felire of Aengus,
Dun-da-en [Dun-a-ain], the fortress of the two birds.
Dunfanaghy; Dun-Fionnchon [Finahan], Finchits fort.
Dungannon in Tyrone; Dun-Geanainn [Gannin], F. M.,
Geanan's or Gannon's fortress.
Dungarvan; Dun-Garbhain, F. M., Garvan's fortress.
Dunhill ; Dun-aille, the fortress of the cliff.
Dunkineely in Donegal ; Dun-mhic-Chionnfhaelaidh
[Dunvickaneely], Mackineely's fort.
Dunkit; Ceafs or Keth's fortress.
Dunleer in Louth. Old name Land-leri (Book of Lein-
ster), the church (land or lanri) of austerity. Present
name formed by substituting dun a fort for lann.
Dunluce castle near the Giant's Causeway ; Dunltos,
F. M., strong lios or fort. Dun is here an adjective,
meaning strong.
Dunmanway in Cork. Old name Dun-na-mleann [Dun-
aman], F. M., the fortress of the gables or pinnacles.
The last syllable icay is from buidhe yellow [bwee ,
or with the b aspirated, wee]: — Dunmanway, th«
fortress of the yellow pinnacles.
Dun more ; great fort-
Irish Local Names explained. 45
Dunmurry; Dun-Muireadhaigh, Murray's fort.
Dunquin in Kerry ; Dun-caein [DunkeenJ, F. M., beau-
tiful fort.
Dunshaughlin in Heath. A church was founded here
for bishop Sechnall or Secundiuus, St. Patrick's ne-
phew ; arid hence it was called Domhnach-Seachnaill
[Donna-Shaughnill], F. M., the church of St. Sech-
nall, which has been shortened to the present name.
Dun try league in Limerick. According to a passage in
the Book of Lismore, a dim or palace was built here
for Cormac Gas, son of Olioll Olum (see Connello) ;
and his bed was supported by three liagdns or pillar
stones, from which the place was called Dun-tri-liag,
the fortress of the three Hags or pillar stones.
Durrow in King's County, a favourite residence of St.
Columbkille. Venerable Bede has a short passage in
his Eccl. Hist. (lib. iii., cap. iv.), in which the ori-
ginal form and translation of this name are given :—
" Before he (Columba) passed over into Britain, he
had built a noble monastery in Ireland, which, from
the great number of oaks, is in the Scotic (Irish)
language called Dearmhagh [Darwah], the field of
the oaks" (dair and magh).
Dysart and Dysert ; the same as Desert.
Dysartenos in Queen's County. St. Aengus the Culdee,
who died in the year 824, built a cell for himself
here ; and hence the place was called Disert-Aenghusa,
Aengus's hermitage.
Easky in Sligo ; from the river : — lascach [Eeska],
fishy (from iasg, a fish).
Eden: Eudiw [edan], the brow; a hill brow.
Edenderry ; the hill brow of the oak wood.
Edenmore ; great hill brow.
Edergole, Edergoole ; see Addergoole.
Eglish ; a church; same as Aglish.
Eighter ; locldar [eeter], lower.
Eliogarty in Tipperary ; a shortened form of Ely O'Fo-
garty (shortened by having the/aspirated and omitted :
see page 2), O'Fogarty's Ely, so called from its ancient
possessors the O'Fogartys. See;Ely.
Elphin in Roscommon, St. Patrick founded a church
•46 -7mA Local Names explained.
here near a spring, over which stood a large stone ;
and hence the place was called A ill-Jinn, which Col-
gan interprets the rock (aill) of the clear spring (finn
white, clear).
Ely. The different trihes called Eile or Ely were BC
named from their ancestor Eile, the seventh in descent
from Cian, son of Olioll Olum (see Connello).
Emlagh ; Imleach [Imlagh], land bordering on a lake ;
and hence a marshy or swampy place.
Emly in Tipperary. St. Ailbhe founded his establish-
ment here in the fifth century, on the margin of a
lake, which has been only lately drained. The place
is called in the Irish authorities Imleach-iobliair [yure],
the lake-marsh of the yew tree.
Emlygrennan in Limerick ; a corruption of the Irish
name Bile-Ghroidhnin [Billa-Gryneen], Grynan's an-
cient tree.
Enagh, the name of twenty townlands. Sometimes
Aenach, a fair ; sometimes JSanach, a marsh.
Ennereilly in Wicklow ; Inbher-Daeih [Invereela],
F. M., the inver or mouth of the river formerly called
the Deel, now the Pennycomequick.
Ennis ; fnis, an island ; a meadow along a river.
Enniskeen ; Inis-caein [keen], F. M., beautiful island
or river meadow.
Enniskerry ; Ath-na-scairlJie [Annascarvy], the ford of
the scarriff or rough river-crossing ; from an ancient
stony ford where the old road crosses the river.
Enniskillen; Inh-Ceihlenn [Kehlen], F. M., the island
of Kethlenn, wife of Balor, the Fomorian king of
Tory Island.
Ennistimon; Inis-Liomain, F. M., Diaman's river
meadow.
Errigal; Aireagal, a habitation, a small church.
Errigal Keeroge in Tyrone ; Aireagal Dachiamg [Da-
keeroge], F. M., the church of St. Dachiarog.
Errigal Trough in Monaghan; the church of (the
barony of) Trough.
Esker ; Eiscir, a sandhill.
Eskeragh, Eskragh; a place full of eshrt.
Ess, Essan, Essaun; a waterfall.
Irish Local Names explained. 47
Estersnow in Roscommon ; a strange corruption from the
Irish Disert- Nuadhan (Nooan), F. M., the hermitage
of St. Nuadha (Nooa). Disert is often corrupted to
ister, ester, tirs, tristle, &c.
Faddan ; Feadan, a small brook.
Faha, Fahy; an exercise green. SeeFaithche in Voca-
bulary.
Farnagh, Farnane, Farnoge ; a place ofFearns [Farns],
or alders.
Farney in Monaghan; Fearnmhagh (Farnvah), Book of
R., the alder plain (/earn and magJi).
Farran ; Fearann, land.
Farset, Farsid ; Fearsad, a sandbank in a river.
Fartagh, Fertagh ; a place of graves (feart).
Fasagh, Fassagh ; a wilderness (Fdsach).
Fassadinin in Kilkenny ; thefasagh or wilderness of, or
near, the river Dinin.
Feagh ; Fiodhach [Feeagh], a woody place (JidK).
Fearmore ; great grass (feur) or grassy place.
Feddan; the same as Faddan.
Feenagh; Fiodhnach [Feenagh], woody (fidh}\ a woody
place.
Feighcullen in Kildare ; Fiodh- Chuilinn, F. M., Cullen's
wood.
Fenagh; the same as Feenagh.
Fennor ; Fionnalhair [Finner], F. M., white field.
Fermanagh; so called from the tribe of Fir-Monach,
(O'Dugan), the men of Monach, who were origi-
nally a Leinster tribe, so named from their ancestor,
Monach, fifth in descent from Cahirmore, monarch of
Ireland from A. D. 120 to 123.
Fermoy in Cork ; Feara-muighe [Farra-moy], O'Dugan,
the men of the plain.
Fermoyle ; Formaeil, a round hill.
Fernagh, Ferney; same as Farnagh.
Ferns ; Fearna [Farna], F. M., alders, a place abound-
ing in alders: English plural termination added.
Ferrard, barony of, in Louth ; Feara-arda [Farra-arda],
F. M., the men of the height, i. e. of Slieve Bregh.
Fethard; Fiodh-ard [Feeard], F. M., high wood.
Fews, baronies of, in Armagh; Feadha [Fa], F. II.,
48 Irish Local Names explained,
woods; with the English plural termination added.
. Fews in Waterford has the same origin.
Fiddan, Fiddane, Fiddaun ; same as Faddan.
Fiddown in Kilkenny; Fidh-duin [Feedoon], F. M.,
the wood of the dun or fort.
Fingall, a district lying north of Dublin, in which the
Danes settled; and hence it was called Fine- Gall
(O'C. Cal.), the territory or tribe (fine) of the Galls
or foreigners.
Finglas; clear stream (fionn, white, clear; and glaise).
Finn river and lake in Donegal ; Loch-Finni-, the lake
ofFinna, a woman, about whom there is an interest-
ing legend. The river took its name from the lake.
See Origin and History of Irish Names of Places,
page 167.
Finnea in Westmeath; Fidh-an-atha [Fee-an-aha]
F. M., the wood of the ford.
Fin ton a ; Fionn -tamhnach [Fintowna], F. M., fair co-
loured field.
Foil; Faill, a cliff.
Foilduff; black cliff.
Forenaght, Forenaghts, Fornaght, Farnaght; For-
nocht, a hare, naked, or exposed hilL
Formil, Formoyle, Formweel ; same as Fermoyle.
Forth. The descendants of Ohy Finn Fothart [Fohart],
brother of Conn of the hundred battles (king of Ire-
land from A. D. 123 to 158), were called Fotharta
[Foharta]), Book of R. Some of them settled in the
present counties of "VVexford and Carlow, where the
two baronies of Forth still retain their name.
Foy, Foygh ; forms of Faithche. See Faha.
Foybeg, Foymore ; little and great exercise green,
Foyduff ; black exercise green.
Foyle; same as F< il.
Freagh, Freugh Fraech, heath, a heathy place.
Freaghduff, Freeduff; black heath.
Freaghillan, Freaghillaun ; heathy island (oilcan).
Freshford ; Irish name Achadh-ur (Book of Leinster),
which should have been translated Freshfield: Achadh
was mistaken for ath.
Freughmore, Freaghmore; great heath.
*rish Local Names explained. 40
Puncheon ; Fuinnseann [Funshin], the ash tree : the
ash-producing river.
Funshin, Fuushinagh, Funshog, Funshoge; a place
producing ash trees (fuinnse).
Galbally, Gallavally, Galvally, Galwally ; English town ;
Gall here means an Englishman.
Galboley, Galboola, Galbooley, Galwolie ; a looley or
dairy place belonging to Galls or English people.
Gallagh ; a place full of rocks or standing stones. See
Gall in Vocabulary.
Gallan, Gallane ; Gallan, a standing stone.
Gallen. The descendants of Cormac Gaileng, great
grandson of Olioll Olum (see Connello), were called
Gailenga (O'Dugan), the race of Gaileng, and they
gave name to the barony of Gallen in Mayo.
Gallon is used in Cavan to signify a measure of land.
G allow ; another form of Gallagh, which see.
Gardrum, Gargrim ; Gearr-dhruim, short ridge or hill :
d changed to g in Gargrim (see p. 4).
Garnavilla in Tipperary ; Garran-a'-bhile [Garranavilla],
the shrubbery of the bile or old tree.
Garracloon ; Garlh-chluain, rough meadow.
Garran, Garrane, Garraun ; Garrdn, a shrubbery.
Garranamanagh ; the shrubbery of the monks (manach).
Garranbane, Garranbaun; white shrubbery.
Garranekinnefeake ; Kinnefeake's shrubbery.
Uarry ; a garden (garrdha).
Garryard; high garden.
Garrycastle. The Mac Coghlans' castle, near Banagher
in King's County, is called in the annals Garrdha-an-
chaislein [Garrancashlane], the garden of the castle ;
and from this the modern name Garrycastle has been
formed, and extended to the barony.
Garryduff; black garden (dulh}.
Garry more ; great garden.
Garryowen near Limerick ; Owen's garden.
Garrysallagh ; dirty garden (salach).
Garryspellane ; Spellane's garden.
Gartan ; a little- garden. See Gort in Vocabulary.
Garvagh ; Garbhach, rough land (from f/arb/i, rough),
'iirvaghy; rough achndh or field.
50 Irish Local Names explained.
Garvary ; Garbhaire, rough land.
Gay island in Fermanagh ; goose island (gedh),
Geara, Gearagh, Gairha ; Gatrtha [gairha] a bushy
place along a river.
Gearhatneen river at Killarney ; min smooth, small ; a
gearha composed of small delicate bushes.
Giants' Causeway. Irish name Clochdn-na-bhFomharaigh
[Clohanavowry], the cloghan or stepping stones of the
Fomorians. These sea rovers were magnified into
giants in popular legend, and the name came to be
translated " Giants' Causeway."
Girley in Meath ; Greallach [Grallagh], a miry place.
Glack ; Glaic, a hollow.
Glaubehy ; birchy glen (beith).
Glantane, Glantaun ; little glen.
Glanworth in Cork ; recently corrupted from its Irish
name, Gleann-amhnach [Glenounagh], as it is written
in the Book of Rights, the watery or marshy glen.
Glascloon ; green cloon or meadow.
Glasdrummon, Glasdrummond ; green ridge.
Glashaboy, Glashawee; yellow streamlet (glaise and
buidhe).
Glasheen ; a little stream.
Glasmullagh ; green mullach or summit.
Glasnevin near Dublin ; takes name from a streamlet
flowing through Delville into the Tolka at the bridge.
In remote ages some pagan chief reamed Naeidhc
[Nee], must have resided on its banks ; from him it
was called Glas-Naeidhen [Neean], F. M., NaeidhJs
streamlet; and the name extended to the village,
while its original application is quite forgotten.
Glassan ; a green place.
Glasthule; Glas-Tuathail [thoohil], Tuathal's orToole's
streamlet.
Glenagarey ; Gleann-na-gcaerach [Glenagaira], the glen
of the sheep (caera).
Glenanair ; the glen of slaughter (ar}.
Glenavy in Antrim. The G is a modern addition. The
Irish name, as given in the Calendar, is Lann-
Abhaich [Lanavy], the church of the dwarf. When
St. Patrick had built the church there, he left it in
Trish Local Name* explained. 5l
charge of his disciple Daniel, who, from his low sta-
ture, was called Abhac [avak or ouk], i. e. dwarf.
Glenbane, Glenbaun; white glen.
Glencar on the borders of Leitrim and Sligo; Gleann-a'-
chairthe [Glenacarha], the glen of the pillar stone
(cairthe).
Glencullen, Glencullin ; holly glen (cuillionn).
Glendine, Glandine; deep glen (doimhin).
Glendowan mountains in Donegal; same as Glendine.
Glenduff; black glen (dubh).
Glengarriff ; rough or rugged glen (garlh).
Gleninagh ; ivy glen (see eidhnedn in Vocabulary).
Glenkeen ; beautiful glen.
Glenmore ; great glen.
Glennamaddy ; the valley of the dogs (madadK).
Glenogra in Limerick ; Ogra's glen.
Glenosheen in Limerick ; Oisirfs or Osheen's glen.
Glenquin, barony of, in Limerick ; see p. 4.
Glenreagh, Glenrevagh ; grey glen.
Glenroe ; red glen (ruadK).
Glentane, Glentaun; little glen.
Glenties in Donegal ; Gleanntaidhe [glenty], glens ; from
two fine glens at the head of which it stands.
Glenwhirry in Antrim ; Gleann-cf -choire [Glenacurry :
change of ch to wh\ the glen of the river Curry or
CoirS. CoirS means a caldron, and the river got this
name from a deep pool formed under a cataract.
Glynn ; a glen or valley.
Gneeve, Gneeves; Gniomh [gneeve], a measure of land.
Gola; forks; the plural of gabhal [goul].
Golan ; a little goul or fork.
Golden in Tipperary ; Gdbhailin [Gouleen], a little fork :
the Suir divides there for a short distance, forming a
fork.
Gort ; Gort, a tilled field.
Gortahork, Gortahurk ; the field of the oats (coirce)*
Gortalassa ; the field of the Us or fort.
Gortanure, Gortinure; the field of the yew.
Gortavoher ; the field of the boher or road.
Gortboy ; yellow field (buidhe).
Gortbrack ; speckled field (breac).
E 2
52 Irish Local Names explained.
Gorteen ; little field.
Gortfad, Gortfadda ; long field.
Gortgranagh ; grain field.
Gortin ; little field ; same as Gorteen.
Gortmore ; great field.
Gortnaglogh ; Gort-na-g clock, the field of the stones.
Gortnagross; Gort-na-gcros, the field of the crosses.
Gortnahoo, Gortnahoon; the field of the cave (uaimJi).
Gortnamona ; the field of the bog (moin).
Gortnamucklagh ; the field of the piggeries. SeeMuck-
lagh.
Gortnasillagh ; the field of the sallows.
Gortnaskea, Gortnaskeagh, Gortnaskeha, Gortnaskey ;
the field of the sceachs or whitethorn bushes.
Grortreagh ; grey field (rialhach).
Gortroe; red field (ruadh).
Gougane Barra in Cork ; St. Finbar's rock-cleft.
Goul, Gowel ; Galhal, a fork.
Gowlan, Gowlane, Gowlaun ; little fork.
Graffa, Graffin, Graffoge, Graffy; grubbed land, or land
rooted up by a grafaun or grubbing axe.
Graigue ; a village.
Graiguenamanagh ; the village of the monks.
Grallagh; Grp-allach [Grallagh], a miry place.
Granagh, Granaghan ; a place producing grain.
Grangegeeth ; windy grange (gaetK).
Gransha ; a grange, a place for grain.
Greagh ; a moory level spot among hills.
Great Connell; great conglhail or habitation (see Con.
wal).
Greenan, Greenane, Greenaun, Grenan; Grianan, a
summer residence, a royal palace. From grian, the
sun.
Greenoge ; a sunny little spot. From grian.
Grillagh, Grellagh; same as Grallagh.
Gurteen ; little tilled field ; same as Gorteen.
Gurteenroe ; red little field.
Guilcagh ; a place producing broom (giolcach^ broomX
Byleen near Trabolgan in Cork ; little golhal or fork
Heagles near Ballymoney ; Eaglais, a church.
llowth; from the Danish Jloved, a head. Old Irish
Irish Local Names explained. 53
name Ben Edar, the peak of Edar, a legendary per-
sonage.
fdrone, baronies of, in Carlow. So called from the tribe
of Sy Drona (Book of R.), the former occupants,
who were named from their ancestor Drona, fourth
in descent from Cahirmore, monarch of Ireland from
A. D. 120 to 123.
Ulan, Illane, Illaun; Oiledn [oilaun], an island.
Imaile in Wicklow ; Hy Matt (O'Dugan), the descend-
ants of Mann Mai, brother of Cahirmore. See Idrone.
Inch ; Inis, an island ; a low meadow along a river.
Inchmore ; great island or river meadow.
Inis, Inish ; an island.
Inishannon in Cork ; written in the Book of Leinster Inis-
Eoganain [Inishowenan], Owenan's or little Owen's
island or river meadow.
Inishargy in Down; called in the Taxation of 1306,
Inyscargi, showing that the Irish form is Inis-car-
raige, the island of the rock. The rising ground
where the church stands was formerly surrounded by
marshes.
Inishbofin ; the island of the white cow (bo) : — name
explained by a legend.
Inishkeen; beautiful island.
Inishkeeragh ; the island of sheep (caera).
Inishlounaght in Tipperary; Inis-leamhnachta [loun-
aghta], the island or river holm of the new milk'
probably because it was good grazing land.
Inishmaan, Inishmean ; middle island (meadhori).
Inishmacsaint, a parish in Fermanagh, taking its name
from an island in Lough Erne, which is called in the
annals Inis-muighe-samh [moy-sauv], the island of
the plain of sorrel, from which the present name has
been formed by a corrupt pronunciation.
Inishmore ; great island.
Inishowen in Donegal; the island of Owen, son of Niall
of the Nine Hostages (king from 379 to 405). See
Tyrone.
Tnishrush ; the island of the peninsula (ros).
Inishturk in Mayo ; Inis-tuirc, Hy F., the boar's island
(tore]. Several islands of this name.
54 Irish Local Names explained.
Inishtioge in Kilkenny; written in the Book of'Leinster
Inis-Teoc, Teoc's island.
Innisfallen in the lower Lake ofKillarney; called in the
Book of Leinster Inis-Faithlenn [Fahlen], the island
of Faithlenn, a man's name.
Inver ; Inlhear [inver], the mouth of a river.
Ireland's Eye. Original name Inis-Ereann [Eran] (the
island of Eire or Eria, a woman), of which the pre-
sent name is an attempted translation. Eye is the
Danish ey, an island ; and the translators understand-
ing Ereann to mean Ireland, rendered the name Ire-
land's Ey (or island) instead of Eria's Ey. (See
Origin and History of Irish Names of Places; pp.
76, 101, 104.)
Isertkelly in Galway ; corrupted (similarly to the next
two names) from Diseart-Cheallaigh [Disertkelly],
F. M., CellacKs or Kelly's hermitage.
Isertkieran in Tipperary ; the desert or hermitage of St.
Kieran of Ossory. See Seirkieran.
Ishartmon in Wexford ; the desert or hermitage of St.
Munna. See Taghmon.
Island Magee ; the island or peninsula of the Mac
Aedhas or Magees, its former possessors. Anciently
called Rinn-Seimhne [Rinn-sevne], the point of
Seimhne, the old territory in which it was situated.
Iveleary in Cork ; took its name from the O'Learys, its
ancient proprietors. See next name.
Iverk in Kilkenny; Ui-Eirc [Ee-erc], O'Dugan, a
tribe name, signifying the descendants of Ere. Ui
[ee] or uibh [iv], signifies descendants.
Iveruss in Limerick; the old tribe of Uibh-Rosa the
descendants of Rosa.
Kanturk in Cork ; Ceann-tuirc [Kanturk], F. M., the
boar's head or hill ; from the hill near the town.
Keadew, Keady ; Ceide [Keady], a hill level and smooth
at top.
Keale, Keel; Caol, narrow; a narrow place, valley, or
river.
Keeloge, Keeloges; Cael6g, a narrow stripe or ridge.
Kcelty; Coillte [Coiltha], woods, from coill.
Keenas;h, Keenaghan ; a mossy olace (caenach, moss).
frisk Local Names explained. 55
Kecnaght barony in Londonderry. The descendants of
dan [Kean], son of Olioll Olum (see Connello), were
called Cianachta. [Keenaghta], i. e. the race of Cian.
The 0' Conors of Glengiven, who were a portion of
this tribe, possessed the barony of Keenaght, and
gave it its name.
Keimaneigh, pass of, in Cork; Ceim-an-fhiaigJi [Kame-
an-ee], the pass of the deer (fiadK).
Kenmare ; Ceann-mara, the head of the sea (muir), i. e.
the highest point reached by the tide in a river. See
Kinvarra and Kinsale.
Kerry. The descendants of Ciar [Keer : see Conne-
mara] were called Ciarraidhe [Keery : Book of It.],
i. e. the race of Ciar; they possessed the territory
lying west of Abbey feale, which was called from them
Ciarraighe, and ultimately gave name to the whole
county.
Kesh in Fermanagh ; Ceis [Kesh], a wickerwork cause-
way.
Keshcarrigan in Leitrim ; the wickerwork causeway of
the little rock.
Kilbaha; Coill-beiihe, birch wood.
Kilbarron in Donegal; St. Barren's church.
Kilbarry in "Waterford and Cork; from St. Finbar.
See Cork and Gougane Barra.
Kilbeg ; small church or wood.
Kilbeggan ; Beccan's church.
Kilbeheny; Coill-leithne [Kilbehena], F. M., birch
wood.
Kilbreedy ; Cill-Bhriyhde, St. Brigid's church.
Kilbride ; the same as Kilbreedy.
Kilbroney ; church of Bronagh, a virgin saint.
Kilcarragh in Kerry and "Waterford; the church of St.
Carthach [Caurha] of Lismore.
Kilcavan in "Wexford ; church dedicated to St. Kevin of
Giendalough.
Kilcleagh and Kilclay ; same as next name.
Kilclief in Down; GM-cleithe [Kilcleha], the hurdle
church (cliath). The original church was constructed
of hurdles, after the early Irish fashion.
Kilcolman; St. Colman's church.
56 Irish Local Names explained.
Kilcommon ; St. Coman's church.
Kilcullen ; Ciil-ciiiUinn, the church of the holly.
Kildalkey in Heath; written in an Irish charter in
the Book of Kells, Cill-Delga, Delga's church.
Kildare. According to Animosus, St. Brigid built her
little cell here under a very high oak tree ; and hence
it was called CiU-dara, which the same writer trans-
lates Cella quercAs, the cell or church of the oak.
Kildimo in Limerick ; St. Dima's church.
Kildorrery in Cork ; Cill-dairlhre [Kildarrery], the
church of the oaks. See Darraragh.
Kildrought in Kildare. See Celbridge.
Kilduff; black church or wood.
Kilfinnane in Limerick; the church of St. Finan. See
Ardfinnan.
Kilfithmone in Tipperaiy ; the church of the wood of
the bog (fidh and m6in).
Kilflyn ; Flann's church.
Kilgarriff, Kilgarve ; rough wood.
Kilgarvan ; St. Garlharfs or Garvan's church.
Kilkee in Clare ; St. Caeidhe's [Kee's] church.
Kilkeedy in Clare and Limerick ; St. CaeidJs [Keedy's]
church.
Kilkeel; narrow church.
Kilkenny ; Gill- Chainnigh [Kilkenny], F. M., the church
of St. Cainneach, or Canice, who died in the year
598. See Aghaboe.
Killadysart; the church of the desert or hermitage
Killaloe in Clare and Kilkenny ; Cill-Dalua [Killaioo .
d aspirated — see p. 2], the church of St. Palua or
Molua, who flourished in the sixth century.
Killanummery in Leitrim; Citt-an-iomaire [ummera],
F. M., the church of the ridge.
Killarney; Cill-airne, the church of the sloes.
Killashandra. The original church was built within
the enclosure of a rath or fort which still partly
exists; hence Cill-cC-sean-ratha [KillashanrahaJ, the
church of the old rath.
Killashee in Kildare ; Cill-ausaille, the church of St.
Ausaille or Auxilius, a contemporary of St. Patrick.
Killashee in Longford is probably the church of the
• sidh or fairy hill.
Irish Local Names explained. 57
Killaspugbrone near Sligo. In the Book of Armagh it
is stated th$t St. Patrick built a church at Cassel
Irra for his disciple Bron or Bronus, who became
bishop of Cuil Irra, the peninsula lying south-west
of Sligo : hence the place was called Cill-easpuig-
Br6in, F. M., the church of bishop Bronus (easpug, a
bishop).
Killaspuglonane in Clare ; Cill-easpuig-Fhlanndin,
F. M., the church of bishop Flannan.
Killawillin in Cork; Gill-cH -mhuilinn, the church of the
mill.
Killeany in Clare and Galway ; the church of St. Eany
or Endeus of Aran, who flourished in the fifth century.
Killeedy in Limerick ; the church of the virgin saint
Ita or Id$, who founded a nunnery here in the early
part of the sixth century. See Kilmeedy.
Killeen, the name of more than 80 townlands; nearly
all from Cill'm a little church ; but a few from Coill'm,
a little wood.
Killeentierna in Kerry; TighernacJi's [Tierna's] little
church.
Killeigh in King's County ; Cill-achaidh [Killahy], .
F. M., the church of the field.
Killenaule in Tipperary ; the church of St. NaiU
[Nawly] or Natalis.
Killery harbour in Connemara ; corrupted by a change
of I to r (see p. 3), from Cael-shaile [Keelhaly], nar-
row sea-inlet; but the full name is Cael-shaile'
ruadh, F. 31., the reddish (ruadh) narrow sea-inlet.
Killevy or Killeavy in Armagh ; called, from its proxi-
mity to Slieve Gullion, Cill-shleibhe [Killeva], F. M.,
the church of the sliabh or mountain.
Killiney in Dublin ; corrupted from Cill-inghen [Kil-
lineen] ; full name Cill-inghen-Leinm, the church of
the daughters of Leinin.
Killiney in Kerry ; the same as Killeany.
Killisk, Killiskey ; the church of the water (uisge).
Killoe; CM-e6, O'C. Cal., the church of the yews
Killuro ; Cill-iubhair, the church of the yew.
Killursa; CiU-Fhursa, the church of St. Fursa, who
flourished in the sixth century.
58 Irish Local Panics explained.
Killybegs ; Cealla-leaga, F. M., little churches.
Killygorden in Donegal ; Coill-na-gcuirijin [Kilnagur-
ridin], F. M., the wood of the parsnips.
Killyon; the church of St. Liadhan [Leean] or Lie-
dania, mother of St. Ciaran of Ossory. See Seir-
kieran.
Kilmacanoge in Wicklow ; the church of St. Mochonog,
one of the primitive Irish saints.
Kilrnacrenan in Donegal ; see p. 3.
Kilmainham near Dublin ; see p. 4.
Kilmallock in Limerick ; Cill-Mocheallog [Kilmohelog],
the church of St. Mocheallog, who nourished in the
beginning of the seventh century.
Kilraanagh near Kilkenny ; Cill-manach (Mart. Taml.),
the church of the monks.
Kilmeedy ; the church of St. 3fide, or Ite ; for both are
the same name. See Killeedy.
Kilmihil; the church of St. Michael the Archangel.
Kilmore ; there are about 80 parishes and townlands of
this name, most of them signifying great church,
some great wood (cill and coiU).
tKilmurry; there are more than fifty places of this
name, which were all so called from places dedicated
to the Blessed Virgin : Cill-Mhuire, Mary's church.
Kilnaleck; the wood of the flag-surfaced land.
Kilnamanagh in Tipperary; Coill-na-manach^ F. M.,
the wood of the monks.
Kilnamona ; the church of the bog (moin).
Kilpatrick ; St. Patrick's church.
Kilquane; Cill-Chuatn, St. Ouan's church.
Kilroot in Antrim ; Cill-ruadh, F. M., red church.
Kilrush; the church of the wood or peninsula.
Kilskeer in Meath; the church of the virgin saint
Scire, who flourished in the sixth century.
Kiltenanlea in Clare ; Cill-tSenain-leith, the church of
St. Senan the hoary.
Kiltullagh in Roscornmon ; Cill- tula ig h, the church of
the hill.
Kiltybegs ; Coittte-leaga, little woods.
Kilwatermoy in "VVaterford ; water is here a corruption
»f uachtar, upper : the church of the upper plain.
Irish Local Names explained. 59
Kinalea, barony of, in Cork ; Cinel-Aedha [Kinel- Ay],
O'Dugan, the descendants of Aedh or Hugh, who
was the father of Failbhe-Flann, king of Munster iu
A.D. 636.
Kinalmeaky, barony of, in Cork ; Cinel-mBece [Kinel-
mecka], O'Dugan, the descendants oiBece, the ances-
tor of the O'Mahonys.
Kinard ; Ceann-ard, high head or hill.
Kinawley in Fermanagh ; CiU-Naile [Kilnawly, which
would have been the correct anglicised form], O'C.
Cal., the church of St. Naile or Natalis, who died in
A. D. 564.
Kincon ; the hound's head (ceann and cu).
Kincora at Killaloe, the site of Brian Boru's palace,
took its name from an ancient weir across the
Shannon ; Ceann-coradh [Kancora], F. M., the head
or hill of the weir.
Kinneigh, Kinnea ; Ceann-ech, F. M., the horse's head
or hill.
Kinnitty in King's County; Ceann-Eitigh [Kan-Etty],
Etech's head ; so called, according to a gloss in the
Felire of Aengus, because the head of Etech, an
ancient Irish princess, was buried there.
Kinsale, Kinsaley ; Ceann-saile, the head of the brine,
i. e. the highest point to which the tide rises in
a river. See Kenmare.
Kinure ; Ceann-iubhair, the head of the yew.
Kinvarra in Galway ; Ceann- mhara, F. M., the head of
the sea. See Kenmare.
Knappagh; Cnapach, a place full of cnaps or round
hillocks.
Knock; Cnoc, a hill.
Knockacullen ; the hill of the holly.
Knockaderry ; the hill of the oak wood.
Knockagh ; Cnocach, a hilly place.
Knockaiiiy in Limerick ; the hill of Aim or Ainy, a
celebrated banshee.
Knockalisheen ; the hill of the little lu or fort.
Knockalough; the hill of the lake.
Knockane, Knockaun ; little hill.
Knockanglass, Knockaneglass ; green little hill.
60 Irish Local Names explained.
Knockanree ; see page 2.
Knockanroe, Knockaneroe, Knockaunroe ; red little
hill.
Knockanure ; Cnoc-an-iubhair, yew hill.
Knockatemple ; the hill of the temple or church.
Knockatarriv, Knockatarry, Kuockaterriff ; Cnoc-a'-
tairbh, the hill of the bull.
Knockatober; the hill of the well.
Knockatoor; the hill of the tuar or bleach green.
Knockatotaun ; Cnoc-a'-teotain, the hill of the burning
or conflagration.
Knockaunbaun ; white little hill.
Kuockavilla, Knockaville; the hill of the bile or old
tree.
Knockavoe near Strabane ; Cnoc-Buidhbh [Knockboov],
F- M., the hill of Bove Derg, a legendary Tuatha De
Danann chief.
Knockbane, Knockbaun ; white hilL
Knockboy; Cnoc-buidhe, yellow hilL
Knockbrack ; Cnoc-breac, speckled hill.
Knockcroghery in Roscommon ; the hill of the crochairt
or hangman : it was a place of execution.
Knockdoo, Knockduif ; see page 2.
Knockeen ; little hill.
Knockfierna in Limerick ; Cnoc-firinne, the hill of truth,
or of truthful prediction ; for it serves as a weather
glass to the people of the circumjacent plains, who
can predict whether the day will be wet or dry by
the appearance of the summit in the morning.
Knockglass ; Cnoc-glas, green hill.
Knockgorm ; Cnoc-gorm, blue hill.
Knocklayd in Antrim ; called from its shape Cnoc-leithid
[lehid], the hill of breadth, i. e. broad hill.
Knocklofty in Tipperary; Cnoc-lochta, the lofted or
shelving hill.
Knocklong in Limerick; Cnoc-luinge, the hill of the
encampment; for Cormac mac Art encamped with his
army, on this hill, when he invaded Munster in the
third centuiy.
Tvnockmanagh ; middle hill.
Knockmealdown mountains; Cnoc-MaeldomJtnaig'n, Mael-
downey's hill.
Irish Local Names explained. 6J
Knockmore; great hill.
Knockmoyle ; Cnoc-mael, bald or bare hill.
Knockmullin ; the hill of the mill.
Knocknaboley, Knocknabooly ; the hill of the loohy or
dairy place.
Knocknacrohy ; Cnoc-na-croiche, the hill of the gallows \
a place of execution.
Knocknagapple, Knocknagappul ; Cnoc na-gcapall, the
hill of the horses.
Knocknagaul in Limerick; the hill of the Galls or
foreigners.
Knocknageeha ; the hill of the wind (gaeth).
Knocknagin ; Cnoc-na-gceann [na-gan], the hill of the
heads ; a place of execution.
Knocknaglogh; the hill of the stones (clock).
Knocknagore; the hill of the goats (gabhar).
Knocknahorna ; the hill of the barley (edrna).
Knocknamona; the hill of the bog.
Knocknamuck ; the hill of the pigs.
Knocknarea in Sligo ; the hill of the executions. See
Ardnarea.
Knocknaskagh, Knocknaskeagh ; the hill of the sceachs
or white thorn bushes.
Knockninny, a hill in Fermanagh, which gives name to
a barony; Cnoc-Ninnidh [Ninny], the hill of St,
Ninnidh, who was a contemporary of St. Columba.
Knockpatrick; Patrick's hill.
Knockraha, Knockrath, Knocknaraha; the hill of the
rath or fort.
Knockranny; Cnoc-raithnigh [rahnee], ferny hill.
Knockrawer, Knockramer, Knockrower, Knockrour ;
Cnoc-reamhar [rawer or rower], fat or thick hilL
Knockreagh; grey hill.
Knockroe ; red hill.
Knockshanbally ; the hill of the old town.
Knocksouna near Kilmallock in Limerick ; written in
the Book of Lismore, Cnoc-Samkna [Souna], the hill
of Samhuin [Sowan or Savin], the first of November,
which was kept as a festival by the pagan Irish. Seo
Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, p. 194.
fvnocktemple; the hill of the temple or church.
62 Irish Local Names explained.
Knocktopher in Kilkenny ; see page 4.
Knoppoge, Knappoge ; a little hill. See Knappagh.
Kyle; about half the names partly or wholly formed
from Kyle, are from Cill, a church; the other half
from Coill, a wood.
Kylebeg ; small church or wood.
Kylemore; generally great wood (coill); sometimes
great church (till). Kylemore (lake) near the Twelve
Pins in Connemara, is Coill-mhor^ great wood.
Labha, Labby; Leaba [labba], a bed, a grave.
Labbasheeda in Clare ; Leaba- Sioda, Sioda'sor Sheedy's
labba, bed, or grave.
Labbamolaga ; St. Molaga's grave. See Templemolaga.
Lack ; leac [lack], a stone, a flag stone.
Lacka; the side of a hill.
Lackabane, Lackabaun ; white hill side.
Lackagh ; a place full of stones or flags.
Lackamore ; great hill side.
Lackan ; the same as Lacka : a hill side.
Lackandarragh, Lackendarragh ; the hill side of the
oaks.
Lackareagh; grey hill side (riabhach).
Lackaroe ; red hill side (ruadh).
Lackeen ; a little rock or flag.
Lacken ; the same as Lacka ; a hill side.
Lag, Legg ; a hollow; a hollow in a hill.
Lagan ; a little hollow ; sometimes it means a pillar
stone (liagan). The river Lagan probably took its
name from a little hollow on some part of its course.
Laghil, Laghile ; Leamhchoill [Lavwhill], elm wood.
Laght ; Leacht, a sepulchre or monument.
Laghy ; a slough, a miry place.
Laharan ; Leath-fhearann [Laharan], half land.
Lahard; Leath-ard, half height; a gentle hill.
Lahardan, Lahardane, Lahardaun ; a gentle hill.
Lakyle; Leath-choill, half wood.
Lambay island near Dublin; the latter part is Danish :
Lamb-ey, i. e. lamb island. Its ancient Irish name
was Rechru or Reachra; and the adjacent parish
on the mainland was called from it, Port-Reachrann
the port or landing place of
Irish Local Names explained. 63
which in the course of ages, has been softened down
to the present name, Porlraine.
Laragh, Lauragh; Lathrach, the site of any thlag.
Laraghbryan in Kildare; Bryan's house site.
Largan ; Leargan, the side or slope of a hill.
Largy; Leargaidh, same meaning as last.
Larne in Antrim ; Latharna (Laharua : Book of I,.),
the district of Lathair [Laher], son of Hugony the
great, monarch of Ireland before the Christian era.
Until recently it was the name of a district which
extended northwards towards Glenarm ; and the town
was then called Inver-an-LaharM, the river mouth of
(the territory of) Larne, from its situation at the mouth
of the Ollarlha or Larne Water.
Latt; the same word as Laght.
Latteragh in Tipperary ; Leatracha [Latraha], the plural
of Leitir, a wet hill-side (see Letter). It is called in
O'C. Cal., Letracha-Odhratn [Oranl, Odhran's wet
hill-slopes, from the patron, St. Odhran, who died in
the year 548.
Laughil ; Leamhchoill [Lavwhill], elm wood.
Laune river at Killarney ; Leamhain, F. M., elm ; the
elm-producing river.
Lavagh ; Leamhack [Lavagh], a place producing elms.
Lavally ; Leath-bhaile, half town or townland.
Lavey in Cavan ; the same as Lavagh.
Leagh ; Liath [Leea], grey ; a grey place.
Learn ; Leim, a leap.
Leamlara in Cork; the mare's leap.
Leamnamoyle in Fermanagh ; the leap of the mael or
hornless cow.
Lear ; the same as Lyre.
Lecale, barony of, in Down; Leth- Chathail [Lecahil],
P. M., CathaVs half. Cathal was a chief who flou-
rished about the year 700, and in a division of ter-
ritory, this district was assigned to him, and took his
name.
Lecarrow ; Leth- ceathramhadh [Lecurhoo], half quarter
(of land).
Leek ; the same as Lack.
Leckan, Leckaun ; the same as Lackan,
64 Irtish Local Names explained.
Leckpatrick ; Patrick's flag-stone.
Leeg, Leek, Leeke ; the same as Lack.
Legacurry, Legaghory ; Lag-a-choire [curry], the hollow
(lag] of the caldron or pit.
Legan, Legaun ; the same as Lagan.
Legland ; same as Leighlin. D added : see p. 4.
Lehinch ; Leith-innse, F. M., half island, i. e. a penin-
sula.
Leighlin in Carlow; Leith-ghlionn [Leh-lin], F. M..
half glen ; from some peculiarity of formation in the
little river hed.
Leighmoney ; grey muine or shrubbery.
Leinster. In the third century before the Christian
era, Lalhradh Loingseach [Lavra Linshagh, Lavra the
mariner], brought an army of Gauls from France to
assist him in recovering the kingdom from his uncle,
the usurper, Coffagh Gael Bra. These foreign soldiers
used a kind of broad pointed spear, called laighen
[layen] ; and from this circumstance the province in
which they settled, which had previously borne the
name of Galtan, was afterwards called LaigJien, which
is its present Irish name. The termination ster, which
has been added to the names of three of the provinces,
is the Scandinavian or Danish stadr, a place. Laighen-
ster (the place or province of Laighen) would be pro-
nounced Laynster, which is the very name given in
a state paper of 1515, and which naturally settled
into the present form, Leinster.
Leitrim, the name of more than 40 townlands and vil-
lages ; Liath-dhruim [Lee-drum], F. M., grey drum
or ridge.
Leixlip ; a Danish name, meaning salmon leap (lax, a
salmon), from the well-known cataract on the Liffey,
still called Salmon leap, a little above the village.
By Irish-Latin writers it is often called Salttis-
salmonis (the leap of the salmon) ; and from this word
saltus, a leap, the baronies of Salt in Kildare have
taken their name.
Lemanaghan in King's County; Liath-Mmchain, F. M.,
St. Manchan's grey land.
Lena, Leny ; a wet meadow.
Irish Local Names explained. 65
Lenamore ; great wet meadow.
Lerrig in Kerry ; a hill side. See Largan.
Letter ; Leitir, a wet hill side.
Lettera, Letteragh, Lettery ; wet hill-sides. See Lat-
teragh.
Letterkenny ; a shortened form of Letter- Cannanan, the
O'Cannanans' hill-slope. The O'Cannanans, or as
they now call themselves,. Cannons, were anciently
chiefs or kings of Tirconnell, till they ultimately sank
under the power of the O'Donnells.
Lettermacaward in Donegal; Leitir-Mic-a? -bhaird, the
hill slope of Mac Ward, or the bard's son.
Lettermore ; great wet hill-side.
Lettermullan ; Leitir-Meallain, F. M., Meallan's hill-
slope.
Levally ; the same as Lavally.
Leyny . The descendants of Luigh or Lewy, the son of
Cormac Gaileng (see Gallen), were called Luighne
[Leyny: O'Dugan], and they gave name to the barony
of Leyiiy in Sligo (ne, descendants).
Lick ; the same as Lack and Leek.
Lickbla in "VVestmeatb ; shortened from Liag-Bladhma
[Leeg-Blawma], F. M., the flag-stone oZBladh [Blaw],
a man's name. See Slieve Bloom.
Lickeen ; little flag- stone.
Lickfinn in Tipperary; white flag- stone.
Lickmolassy in Galway ; SL Malaise's [Molasha's] flag-
stone.
Lickoran ; the flag of the cold spring (uarari).
Limerick ; corrupted from the Irish form Luimnech
[Liminagh], F. M., by a change of n to r (see p. 3) :
the name signifies a bare spot of land, from lorn,
bare.
Lis, Liss ; Lios, a circular earthen fort.
Lisalbanagh ; the Albanagh's or Scotchman's fort.
Lisanisk, Lisauisky ; the fort of the water (uisge\
Lisbane, Lisbaun ; white Us or fort.
Lisbellaw ; Lios-bel-atha, the Its of the ford-mouth.
Lisboy ; yellow fort ; probably from furze blossoms.
Liscannor in Clare ; Canar's fort.
Liscarroll in Cork; Cearbhall's or Carroll's fort-
66 Irish Local Names explained.
Liscartan ; the fort of the forge (ceardcha).
Lisdoonvarna in Clare ; takes its name from a large fort
on the right of the road as you go from Ballyvaghan
to Ennistymon. The proper name of this is Dun-
bhearnach [Doonvarna], gapped fort (see Barna), from
its shape ; and the word Lis was added, somewhat in
the same manner as " river" in the expression " the
river Li ffey:" Lisdoonvarna, i. e. the Us (of) Doon-
varna.
Lisdowney in Kilkenny ; Downey's fort.
Lisduff, Lisdoo ; Lios-dulh, black fort
Lisheen; little Us or fort.
Lislea ; Lios-liath [lee], grey fort.
Lislevane in Cork ; Lios-leamhain, elm fort.
Lismore ; great fort Lismore in "Waterford received its
name from the Us or entrenchment built by St. Gar-
thach [Caurhagh] round his religious establishment.
It was previously called MagJi-sciath [Maskee], the
plain of the shield. See Origin and History of Irish
Names of Places, p. 261.
Lismoyle; Lios-mael, bald or dilapidated fort.
Lismullin ; the fort of the mill.
Lisnagat; Lios-na-gcat, the fort of the (wild) cats.
Lisnageeragh ; the fort of the sheep (caera).
Lisnalee; the fort of the calves (laegh'}. See p. 2.
Lisnamuck ; the Us or fort of the pigs.
Lisnaskea in Fermanagh; the fort of the sceach or
whitethorn tree. It took its name from the cele-
brated Sceach-ghabhra [Skagowra], under which the
Maguire used to be inaugurated.
Lisnisk, Lisnisky ; the fort of the water.
Lissan, Lissane ; little Its or fort.
Lissaniska, Lissanisky ; the fort of the water.
Lissaphuca ; the fort of the pooka or spright
Lissard; high fort.
Listowel; Lios-Tuathail [Lis-Thoohil], TuathaVs fort.
Lissonuffy in lloscommon ; Lios- 0-nDubhthmgh [Liso-
nuffy], F. M., the fort of the O'Duffys.
Lixnaw in Kerry; Lic-Snamha [Snawa], F. M., the
flag-stone of the swimming (snamh). See Drumsna.
Loughill, Loughil; Leanihchoill [Lavwhill], elm wood.
Irish Local Names explained. 67
Londonderry. Its most ancient name, according to all
our authorities, vrasDoire- C^fl^azcAJ] Derry- Calgagh],
the derry or oak wood of Calgach or Galgacus. In
the tenth or eleventh century it began to be called
Derry- Columcille, in honour of St. Columkille, who
founded his monastery there in 546 ; and this name
continued to the time of James I., whose charter,
granted to a company of London merchants, imposed
the name of Londonderry.
Longfield ; in almost all cases a corruption of Leamh-
choill [Lavwhill], elm wood.
Longford ; Longphort [Longfort], a fortress. The town
of Longford is called in the Annals Longford O'Far-
rell, from a castle of the O'Farrells, the ancient pro-
prietors.
Loop Head in Clare ; a Danish modification of Leap
Head; Irish Leim-Chonchuillinn [Leam-Conhullin],
F. M., Cuchullin's leap. For legend see Origin and
History of Irish Names of Places, p. 163.
Lorum in Carlow ; Leamh-dhruim [Lavrum], elm ridge,
Lough ; a lake ; an inlet of the sea.
Loughan, Loughane, Loughaun ; little lake.
Loughanreagh ; grey little lake.
Loughbeg ; little lake.
Lough Boderg ; the lake of the red cow.
Lough Bofin ; the lake of the white cow.
Loughbrickland ; corrupted by changing r to I, and
adding d (see pp. 3 and 4), from Loch-Bricrenn}
F. M., the lake of Bricriu, a chief of the first century.
Lough Conn in Mayo; Loch- Con, F. M., the lake of
the hound.
Lough Corrib ; the correct Irish name is Loch Orlsen,
F. H., which was corrupted by the attraction of the
c sound in Loch to Orlsen, and by the omission of the
syllable sen. Orlsen was another name for Manannan
Mac Lir, a celebrated legendary personage.
Loughcrew in Heath ; Loch-craeibhe [creeve], the lake
of the branchy tree.
Lough Derg on the Shannon ; contracted from Loch-
Dergdherc [Dergerk], the lake of the red eye, which
is explained by a legend.
68 Irish Local Names explained.
Lough Derravara in Westmeath; Loch- Dairlhr each
[Darravara], F. M., the lake of the oaks. See Dar-
raragh.
Lough Erne ; the lake of the Ernai, a tribe of people.
Lough Finn ; see Finn river.
Lough Guitane near Killarney; Loch-coitedin [cut-
thaun], the lake of the little cot or boat.
Longh Melvin; corrupted from Loch-Meilghe [Melye],
the lake of Meilghe, an ancient king of Ireland.
Lough Neagh ; written in the Book of Leinster Loch-
nEchach [nehagh], the lake of Eochy [Ohy], a
Munster chief, who was drowned in it at the time of
its eruption in the first century. The N is a mere
grammatical inflection, and the name is often used
without it; for instance, we find it spelled Lough
Eaugh in Camden, as well as in many of the maps of
the 16th and 17th centuries.
Lough Oughter in Cavan; Loch-uachtar, upper lake,
i. e. upper as regards Lough Erne.
Loughrea in Gal way ; Loch-riabhach, grey lake.
Lug ; a hollow ; the same as Lag and Leg.
Lugduff mountain over Glendalough; black hollow,
from a hollow at the base.
Luggelaw ; the hollow of the lagh or hill.
Lugmore; great hollow.
Lugnaquillia, the highest mountain in Wicklow ; Lug-
na-gcoilleach [Lugnagulliagh], the hollow of the
cocks, i. e. grouse.
Lumcloon; bare meadow (lorn, bare).
Lurgan; the shin; along hill.
Lurganboy ; yellow long hill.
Lurraga ; the same as Lurgan.
Lusk in Dublin ; Lusca, a cave.
Lusmagh in King's County ; the plain of herbs (lut, an
herb).
Lymilly. In the sixth century there was a forest here
called the wood of Ela ; and the church founded by
St. Colman, about the year 590, was thence called
Lann-Ealla (O'C. Cal.), the church of Ela, which
has been anglicised to the present name.
Lynn ; a form of Lann* a house or church.
Irish Local Names explained. 69
Lyre; Ladhar [Lyre], a fork formed by rivers or glens.
See Lear.
Mace ; Mas [Mauce], the thigh, a long low hill.
Mackan, Mackanagh, Macknagh, Mackney ; a place
producing parsnips (meacan, a parsnip).
Macosquin in Deny; corrupted from Magh-Cosgrain
[Macosgran], F. M., Cosgran's plain.
M aghera ; Machaire, a plain. Maghera in Down and
Maghera in Derry, are both contracted from Machaire-
ratha [Maghera-raha], the plain of the fort.
Mugherabeg ; little plain.
Mugheraboy ; yellow plain.
Magheracloone ; the plain of the cloon or meadow.
Magheraculmoney ; the plain of the back (cul) of the
shrubbery.
Magheradrool in Down ; Machaire- eadarghalhal [Ma-
ghera-addrool], the plain between the (river) forks
(eadar, between; and. gabhal). See Addergoole.
Magherahamlet in Down ; the plain of the Tamlaght or
plague monument. See Tallaght.
Magheramenagh ; middle plain (meadhonacfi).
Magheramore ; great plain.
Magherareagh ; grey plain (riabhacK).
Maghery ; a form of Maghera, a plain.
Magunihy, barony of, in Kerry ; Magh-gCoincinm
[Magunkinny], F. M., the plain of the O'Conkins.
Mahee island in Strangford Lough ; the island of St.
Mochaei [Mohee], bishop, a disciple of St. Patrick,
and the founder of Nendrum.
Maigue, a river in Limerick ; called Maigh in the annals,
i. e., the river of the plain.
Mallow in Cork ; called in the Annals Magh-Ealla,
[Moyallo], the plain of the river Allo, which was
anciently the name of that part of the Blackwater
flowing by the town. See Duhallow.
Manulla in Mayo ; Magh-Fhionnalbha [Mah-Innalva],
Hy. F., Finalva's plain.
Massareene in Antrim; Hds-a? -rioghna [Massareena],
the queen's hilL
Maul ; Meall, a lump, a hillock.
Maum ; Madhm QMaum], a high mountain pass.
70 Irish Local Names explained.
Maumturk; the pass of the boars (tore).
Maw; Magh, a plain.
Maynooth ; Magh-Nuadhat [Ma-nooat], F. M., NuadK-
afs plain ; from Nuadhat, king of Leinster, foster-
father to Owen More king of Munster. See Bear.
Mayo ; Magh-eo [Ma-6], the plain of the yews. Full
name Maghe6-na-Saxan, F. M., Mayo of the Saxons,
from a number of English monks settled there in the
seventh century, by St. Colman, an Irish monk, after
he had retired from the see of Lindisfarne.
Meelick ; Miliuc [Meeluck], F. M., low marshy ground.
Meen ; a mountain meadow.
Meenadreen ; the mountain meadow of blackthorns.
Meenkeeragh ; mountain meadow of the sheep.
Milleen; a little hillock. See Maul.
Moan ; Moin [monej, a bog. See Mon.
Moanduff ; black bog.
Moanmore ; great bog.
Moanroe ; red bog.
Moanvane, Moanvaun ; Moin-bhdn, white bog.
Moat ; M6ta, a high mound.
Moate in Westmeath ; from the great mound at the vil-
lage; full name Moategranoge, the moat of Grain$-6g
or young Grace, who, according to tradition, was a
Munster princess.
Mocollop ; the plain (magh) of the collops or cattle.
Modeshill ; Magh-dei&iol [Ma-deshil], southern plain.
Mogeely ; Magh-Itt, F. M., the plain of Itt or Ely.
Moher ; see Cliffs of Moher.
Mohill; Maeihail [M waybill], soft or spongy land;
from maeth, soft.
Moig, Moigh ; forms of Magh, a plain.
Moira; Magh-rath, F. M., the plain of the forts.
Mon ; a bog. See Y. >un.
Monabraher, Monambraher, Monamraher ; Moin-na-
mbrathar, F. M., the bog of the friars.
Monagay in Limerick; the bog of the goose (gedh}\
from wild geese.
Monaghan; Muineachbx, F. M., a place full of little
bills or brakes (muine).
Irish Local Names explained. 71
Monamintra in Waterford ; Moin-na-mbaintrealhaigh
[Monamoiutree], the bog of the widows.
Monard; high bog.
Monasteranenagh in Limerick ; Mainister-an-aenaigk
[Monasteraneany], F. M., the monastery of the fair.
Anciently called Aenach-beag, little fair.
Monasterboice in Louth ; the monastery of St. Boethius
or Suite, who founded it in the sixth century.
Monasterevin ; the monastery of St. Evin, the founder
a contemporary of St. Patrick.
Monasteroris in King's County; Mainister-Fheorais,
[orish : F aspirated and omitted — see p. 2], the
monastery of Mac Feorais or Bermingham, who
founded it in A. D. 1325.
Monear ; a meadow.
Moneen ; a little bog (moin).
Money ; Muine [munny], a shrubbery.
Moneydorragh ; Muine-dorcha, dark or gloomy shrub-
bery.
Moneyduff; Muine-dubh, black shrubbery.
Moneygall ; the shrubbery of the Galls or foreigners.
Money gorm; Muine-gorm, blue shrubbery.
Moneymore; great shrubbery.
Monivea in Galway ; Muine-an-mheadha [Money-an-va],
F.M., the shrubbery of the mead, a kind of drink.
Monroe ; Moin-ruadh, red bog.
Montiagh, Hontiaghs; Mointeach, a boggy place.
Morgallion. A branch of the Gailenga (see Gallen),
settled in Leinster, and a portion of them gave name
to the territory of Mor- Gailenga or the great Gail-
enga, now the barony of Morgallion in Meath.
Mothel, Mothell ; same as MohilL
Mountmellick. The old anglicised name is Moniiagh-
meeh'ck, the bogs or boggy land of the meelick or
marsh. See Montiagh and Meelick.
Mourne mountains in Down. The ancient name was
Beanna Boirche [Banna-Borka], F. M., the peaks of
the shepherd Boirche, who herded on these mountains
the cattle of Ross, king of Ulster in the third century.
About the middle of the twelfth century, a tribe
of the Mac Mahons from Cremorne (see Cremorne),
72 Irish Local Names explained.
settled in the south of the present county of Down,
and gave their tribe name of Mughdhorna [Mourna],
to the barony of Mourne, and to the Mourne mountains.
Movilla in Down; Magh-bhih [Ma- villa], O'C. Cal., the
plain of the ancient tree.
Moville in Donegal ; the same as last.
Moy; Magh [mah], a plain.
Moyacomb in "Wicklow ; Magh-da-chon [Moy-a-con],
F. M., the plain of the two hounds.
Moyaliff in Tipperary; Magh-Ailbhe [Moyalva], F. M.,
Ailbhe's or Alva's plain.
IToyard ; high plain.
Moyarget; Magh-airgid, the plain of silver.
Moyarta in Clare ; Magh-fherta (fh silent : see p. 2),
the plain of the grave.
Moyeullen in Gal way ; the plain of holly.
Ifoydowin Longford j Magh-dumha [Moy-dooa], F. M.,
the plain of the burial mound.
"Moygawnagh in Mayo ; written in the Book of Lecan,
Ulagh-gamhnach, the plain of the milch cows.
Moy glass; green plain.
Moygoish. The descendants of Colla Uais (see Cre-
morne), were called Ui mic Uais [Ee-mic-Oosh]; a
portion of whom were settled in Westmeath, and gave
their name to the barony of Moygoish.
Moyle ; Mael, a bald or bare hill.
Moylough ; the plain of the lake.
Moymore ; great plain.
Moynalty in Meath ; Magh-nealta [Moynalta], the plain
of the flocks (ealta).
Moyne ; Ifaighin [Moin], a little plain.
Moynce in Clare ; same as Mayo : the n is a grammatical
accident.
Moynure ; the plain of the yew (iubhar).
Moyrus ; the plain of the ros or peninsula.
Moys ; i. e. plains ; from magh.
Muckamore in Antrim ; Magh-comair [Ma-cummcr],
F. M., the plain of the cummer or confluence (of the
Six mile "Water with Lough Neagh).
ifuckanagh, Muckenagh ; Muiceannach, a resort of pigs;
a place where pigs used to feed or sleep (from m*c).
Irish Local Names explained. 73
Muckelty, Mucker, Muckera, Muckery; the same as
Muckanagh.
Mucklagh; MuclacJi, same as Muckanagh.
Muekinish ; pig island.
Muckloon. MuckL..:. llucklin; Muc-chluain, pig mea-
dow.
Muckno in Monaghan ; MucsJmamJi [Mucknauv], F. M.,
the swimming place (snamfi) of the pigs ; the place
where pigs used to swim across the little lake.
Muckross; the peninsula of the pigs.
Muff; a corruption of Magh, a plain.
Muing; a sedgy place.
Mullacrew in Louth ; Mullach-craeilhe [Mullacreeva],
the summit of the spreading tree.
Mullagh ; Mullach, a summit.
Mullaghareirk mountains near Abbeyfeale in Limerick ;
Mullach-a'-radhairc [rlrk], the summit of the pros-
pect.
Mullaghbane ; white summit.
Mullaghboy; yellow summit.
Mullaghbrack ; speckled summit.
Mullaghdoo, Mullaghduff ; black summit.
Mullaghglass ; green summit.
Mullaghmeen ; Mullach-min, smooth summit.
Mullaghmore ; great summit.
Mullaghroe ; Mullack-ruadh, red summit.
Mullan, Mullaun; a little mullach or summit.
Mullans; little summits.
Mullen, Mullin; Muileann [mullen], a mill.
Mullinahone in Tipperary ; Muileann -na-huamhain A
[Mullinahooan], the mill of the cave (uamha) ; from,
a cave near the village through which the little river
runs.
Mullinavat in Kilkenny; Muilenn-a'-bhata, the mill of
the stick.
Mully; the same as Mullagh.
Multyfarnham in Westmeath ; Huilte-Farannain [Mul-
ty-Farannan], Farannan's mills (muilenn, plural
mtiille).
Munster. Old Irish name Mumhan [Mooan], which,
74 Irish Local Names explained.
with sUr added (see Leinster), forms Mughan-ster
[Moonster] or Munster.
Murragh, Murreagh ; Murbhach [Murvagh], a flat
marshy piece of land hy the sea.
Murrow of Wicklow; same as Murragh.
Muskerry. The people descended from Carbery Muse,
son of Conary II. (see Corkaguiny), were called Mus-
craidhe [Muskery: O'Dugan] ; of these there were
several tribes, one of which gave name to the two
baronies of Muskerry in Cork.
Myshall inCarlow; Muigh-'iseal [Mweeshal], low plain.
Naas in Kildare, the most ancient residence of the
kings of Leinster ; Nds [Nawce], a fair or meeting
place.
Nantinan in Limerick ; Neantandn, a place of nettles
(neanta).
Nappan in Antrim; Cnapdn, a little hill.
Naul in the north of Dublin ; 'n-aill [naul], the cliff.
The article incorporated : see Nenagh.
Ned ; Nead [Nad], a bird's nest.
Nenagh in Tipperary. Irish name Aenach [Enagh], a
fair; the N is a contraction for the Irish definite
article "an," which has become incorporated with
the word: — 'n-Aenach [Nenagh], the fair. The full
name is Aenach-Vrmhumhan [Enagh-urooan] the fair
of Ormond or east Munster; and this name is still
used by those speaking Irish.
Newrath; 'n-Iubhrach [Nuragh],, the yew land; by the
incorporation of the article.
New Boss. Irish name Ros-mic-Treoin [Rosmictrone],
the wood (ros) of the son of Treun.
Newry. Ancient name lubhar-cinn-tragha [Yure-Kin-
traw], the yew tree at the head of the strand. In
after ages this was shortened to lubhar, which, with
the article prefixed (see Nenagh), and y added, be-
came changed to the present form Newry.
Nicker in Limerick ; Guinicir [Knickere], a rabbit
warren (from coining.
Nobber; Obair [obber], work, with the article incorpo-
rated (see Nenagh): — Nobber, "the work," a name
Irish Local Names explained. 75
applied, according to tradition, to the English castle
erected there.
Nohoval in Cork and Kerry ; shortened from Nuachong-
bhail [Nuhongval], new congbhail or habitation. See
Conwal.
Nure; the same formation and meaning asNewry.
"N"urney in Kildareand Carlow; Urnaidhe [urny], F.M.,
a prayer house or orator}*, with the article incorpo-
rated. See Nenagh and Urney.
Offaly, baronies of, in Kildare. The descendants of
Ros-failghe [faly] or Ros of the rings, the eldest son
of Cahirmore (king of Ireland from A. D. 120 to
123) were called Hy FailgJie (O'Dugan), i.e. the
descendants of Failghe (see Iverk) ; and a portion of
their ancient inheritance still retains this name, in
the modernized form Offaly.
Offerlane in Queen's County; a tribe name; Hi Foir-
chealldin [Hy Forhellane], F. M., the descendants
[M»] of Foirchealldn.
Oghill; E6chaill [Oghill], yew wood (e6 and eoill).
Oneilland. Nialldn, the fourth in descent from Colla
Da Chrioch [cree] brother of Colla Meann (see Cre-
morne), was the progenitor of the tribe called Hy
Niallain (i.e. Niallan's race), F. M., and their ancient
patrimony forms the two baronies of Oneilland in
Armagh, which retain the name. D added; see p. 4.
Oola in Limerick and "Waterford; Ulhla [OolaJ, a place
of apples, an orchard (from ubhall or alkali).
Oran ; Varan [uran] a cold spring.
Oranmore in Gal way ; great cold spring,
ughterard ; upper height (uachdar, upper),
ulart in Wexford ; abhall-ghort [oulort], an orchard,
compounded of abhall and gort.
unageeragh river flowing into theFuncheon; Abh-na-
gcaerach, the river of the sheep.
Ovens, The, near Ballincollig in Cork ; called in Irish
Uamhanna [Oovana] i. e. the caves, from the great
limestone caves near the village ; and the people by
a slight change of pronunciation have converted these
oovans or caves into ovens. See Athnowen.
Owbeg river; Abh-beaq, little river.
76 Irish Local Names explained.
Chvenass river at Mountraellick ; the river of the cata-
ract (eas\
Owenboy; yellow river (abhainn).
Owenclogy ; stony river (abhainn and clocK).
Owenduif ; black river.
Owenmore; Abhainn-m6r, great river.
Owenreagh ; grey river (riabhach}.
Oxmantown or Ostmantown in Dublin ; so called be-
cause the Danes or Ostmen had a fortified settlement
there.
Ox mountains: called in Irish Sliabh-ghamh [Slieve-
gauv], F. M., the mountain of the storms, which in
the spoken language was mistaken for Sliabh-dhamh,
the mountain of the oxen, and translated accord-
ingly.
Park ; Irish Pairc, a field.
Parkmore ; great field.
Phoenix Park in Dublin, took its name from a beautiful
spring well near the Viceregal Lodge, called Fionn-
uisg' [feenisk], clear or limpid water.
Poll ; a hole, pit, or pool.
Pollacappul; Poll-a' -chapaill, the hole of the horse.
Pollagh ; a place full of holes or pits.
Pollanass at Glendalough ; the pool of the waterfall.
Pollans; holes, pools, or pits.
Pollaphuca; the pookcCs or demon's hole.
Pollrone in Kilkenny; Poll-Ruadhain [Ruan], Ruadh-
an's hole.
Pollsallagh, Pollsillagh ; the hole of the sallows.
Portlaw in "Waterford; Port-lagha, the bank or landing
place of the hill.
Portmarnock ; St. Mernoc's bank or landing place.
Portnashangan ; the port, bank, or landing place of the
seangans or pismires.
Portraine; see Lambay island.
Portrush in Antrim ; Port-ruis, the landing place of the
peninsula.
Portumna in Gal way; Port-omna, F. M., the landing
place of the oak.
Pottle in Cavan ; a measure of land.
Preban, Prebuun, Pribbaun ; Preabdn, a patch.
Irish Local Names explained. 77
Pubble ; Pobul, people, a congregation.
Pubblebrien in Limerick; O'Brien's people; for it wag
the patrimony of the O'Briens.
Pullagh ; a place full of holes.
Pullans, P aliens; little holes or pits.
Quilcagh mountain at the source of the Shannon in
Cavan; Cailceach, chalky; from its white face.
Quilly ; Coillidh [cuilly], woodland.
Racavan; Rath-cabhain, the fort of the hollow.
Rahan in King's County ; Raithin, a ferny place.
Rahaniska, Rahanisky ; the rath of the water.
Rahard; Rath-ard, high fort.
Raharney in Westmeath ; Rath-Athairne, Aharny's fort.
Raheen ; little rath or fort.
Raheenduff ; black little fort
Raheenroe ; Raithm-ruadh, red little fort.
Rahelty ; Rath-eilte, the fort of the doe (eilit\
Raheny near Dublin ; Rath-Enna, F. M., Enna's fort.
Rahugh in Westmeath ; the fort of St. Aedh or Hugh,
the son of Brec, who built a church in the old rath
in the sixth century.
Raigh ; same as Rath, a fort.
Rakeeragh ; the fort of the sheep (caera).
Ramoan in Antrim; Rath-Modhain, Modan's fort.
Ranaghan, Rannagh ; a ferny place (raitJme, a fern).
Raphoe in Donegal; Rath-bhoth [Ra-voh], F. M., the
fort of the boths, tents, or huts.
Rasharkin in Antrim; Ros-Earcdin, Erkan's promontory.
Rashee in Antrim; Rath-sithe [Ra-shee], F. M., the fort
of the fairies.
Ratass in Kerry ; Rath-teas, southern fort.
Rath ; a circular fort.
Rathangan in Kildare; Rath-Iomghain [Rath-Imganj,
Imgan's fort.
Rathanny ; Rath-eanaighe, the fort of the marsh.
Rathaspick ; the fort of the bishop (easpug}.
Rathbane, Rathbaun; white rath.
Rathbeg; little fort.
Rathborney in Clare; Rathboirne, the fort of Burren.
from its situation in the old district of Burren.
Rathcormack ; Cormac's fort.
78 Irish Local Names explained.
Rathdowney in Queen's County; Rath-tamhnaigh [Rath-
towney], F. M., the fort of the green field (tamha-
ach).
Rathdrum ; the fort of the long hilL
Rathduff ; black fort,
Rathfeigh in Meath; the fort of the exercise green.
See Faha.
Rathfryland in Down ; see page 4.
Rathglass ; green fort.
Rathkeale ; Rath- Gaela, Gaela's fort.
Rathkenny; Rath- Cheannaigh [Kanny], Ceannach's fort.
Rathkieran in Kilkenny; "Kieran's fort ; from St. Kieran
of Ossory. See Seirkieran.
Rathmore ; great fort.
Rathmoyle; bald or dilapidated fort
Rathmullan; Rath-Maelain, F. M., Maelan's rath.
Rathnew in Wicklow; Rath-Naoi, F. M., Naofs fort
Rathreagh ; Rath-riabhach, grey fort.
Rathroe ; red fort.
Rathronan ; Ronan's fort.
Rathsallagh ; Rath-salach, dirty fort.
RathviUy in Carlow; Bath-bile, F. M., the fort of the
old tree.
Rattoo ; Rath-tuaidh {too], northern fort
Raw ; Rath, a fort.
Rea; Reidh, a coarse mountain flat.
Reask, Reisk ; Riasg [Reesk], a marsh.
Reen ; Rinn, a point of laud.
Relagh ; Reidhleach [Relagh], same meaning as Rea.
Relickmuny; Reilig, a church : the church of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
Riesk; a marsh; same as Reask.
Rin, Rine, Rinn ; Rinn, a point of land.
Ring; another form of Rin.
Ringabella near the mouth of Cork harbour; the point
of the old tree (bil$).
Ringagouagh near Dungarvan; Rinn-0'gCiiana [Ogoo-
na],the point or peninsula of the O'Cooneys.
Ringbane, Ringbaun ; white point.
Ringcurran near Kinsale; the point of the corrdn or
reaping hook ; from its shape.
Irish Local Names explained. 79
Ringrone near Kinsale ; written in the Annals of Innis-
fallen, Rinn-r6in, the point of the seal.
Ringvilla, Eingville; Rinn-bhile[ villa], the point of the
bile or ancient tree.
Kinneen ; little point of land.
"Rinville in Galway ; Rinn-Mhil [vil], the point of Mil,
a Firbolg chieftain.
Risk ; same as Reask.
Roeillaun; Ruadh-oilean [Roo-illaun], red island.
Rooaun, Rooghan, Rooghaun ; reddish land (from ruadh,
red).
Roosk ; Rusg, a marsh. See Reask.
Roosca, Rooskagh, Roosky ; Rusgach, marshy, a marshy
place.
Roscommon; Ros-Comain, F. M., Coman's wood, from
St. Coman, who founded a monastery there in the
eighth century.
Roscrea ; written in the Book of Leinster, Ros-crc, Ore's
wood.
Roshin ; little ros or promontory.
Roskeen ; Ros-caein, heautiful wood.
Ross; in the south generally means a wood; in the
north, a peninsula.
Rossbegh or Rossbehy west of Killarney ; the peninsula
of birches (berth).
Rossbeg; small wood or promontory.
Ross Carbery in Cork ; the latter part from the barony
of Carbery in which it is situated : it was an-
ciently called Ros-ailithir [allihir], F. M., the wood
of the pilgrims.
Ross Castle at Killarney ; from the little ros or penin-
sula on which it stands.
Rosses in Donegal ; i. e. peninsulas.
Rossinver in Leitrim ; Ros-inbhir, the peninsula of the
river mouth ; from a point of land running into the
south part of Lough Melvin.
Rossmore ; great wood or peninsula.
Rossorry near Enniski lien; corrupted from Ros-airthir
[arher], F. M., the eastern peninsula.
Roughan, Ruan ; same as Rooaun.
Rousky ; same as Roosca and Rooskey.
80 7mA Local Names explained.
Route. The northern part of Antrim was anciently
called Dalriada (F. M.), i. e. Riada' 8 portion or tribe,
from Carbery Riada, son of Conary II. (see Corka-
guiny) ; and the latter part (Riada) of this old name,
is still preserved in the corrupted form of Route.
Rush in Dublin ; Ros-eo [Rush-6], F. M., the peninsula
of the yew trees.
Rusheen ; small wood ; a growth of underwood.
Russagh ; Eos- each, F. M., the wood of the horses.
Rusky; the same as Roosca and Roosky.
Saggart in Dublin; contracted from Tassagard, Irish
Teach- Sacra [Tassacra], O'C. Cal., the house of St.
Sacra, who flourished in the seventh century.
Saint Mullins in Carlow ; Irish name Tigh-Moling [Tee-
Moiling], O'C. Cal., the house of St. Moling, a
native of Kerry, who erected a church there about
the middle of the seventh century. See Timolin.
Salt, baronies of, in Kildare ; see Leixlip.
Santry in Dublin ; Sentreibh [Shantrev; Mart. Taml.],
old tribe.
Saul near Downpatrick ; SaiAflW[Saul], a barn. Dichu,
the prince of the surrounding district, was St. Patrick's
first convert in Ireland; the chief made the saint a
present of his barn, to be used temporarily as a
church; and hence the place was called SabhaU-
Patrick, St. Patrick's barn, now shortened to SauL
Scalp; Scealp [Scalp], a cleft or chasm.
Scarawalsh in Wexford ; Irish name Sgairbh-a*-
Bhreathnaigh [Scarriff-a-vranny], Walsh's scarriff
or shallow ford (see Ballybrannagh) ; which, with an
obvious alteration, has given name to the barony of
Scarawalsh.
Scardan, Scardaun : Scardan, a cataract.
Scarriff; Scairbh [Scarriv], a rugged shallow ford.
Scart; Scairt [Scart], a thicket or cluster.
Scartaglin in Kerry ; the thicket of the glen.
Scarteen ; a little thicket or cluster.
Scartlea in Cork; Scairt-liath, grey thicket.
Scarva ; another form of Scarriff.
Seagoe ; Suidhe- Gobha [Seegow"), the seat of St. Gobha
[gow~| or Gobanus
7t Local Names explained. 81
Seapatrick ; Patrick's seat (suidhe)
Sec ; suidhe [see], a seat or sitting place.
Seefin ; Suidhe-Finn [Seefin], the seat of Finn Mac Coule.
Seein in Tyrone ; same as Seefin, with / aspirated and
omitted (Suidhe- Fhinn).
Seirkieran near Parsonstown. St. Ciaran or Kieran of
Ossory, disciple of St. Pinnian of Clonard, erected a
monastery in the sixth century, at a place called
Saighir [Sair], which was the name of a fountain ;
and after the saint's time it was called Saighir-
Chiarain [Sairkeeran], now contracted to Seirkieran.
Seltan ; a place of sallows.
Seskin ; Sescenn, a marsh.
• Sessia, Sessiagh ; Seiseadh [shesha], the sixth part.
Shallon ; Sealan, a hangman's rope, a gallows.
Shan; Sean [shan], old.
Shanaclogh; Seancloch, old stone castle.
Shanacloon ; old cloon or meadow.
Shanagarry j old garry (garrdha) or garden.
Shanagolden in Limerick; Seangualann [ Shanagoolan],
old shoulder or hill.
Shanakill ; old church.
Shanavally, Shanbally ; old bally or town.
Shanbogh, Shanbo ; old both or tent.
Shandon ; old dun or fortress.
Shandrum ; old drum or ridge.
Shangarry; same as Shanagarry.
Shankill ; old church.
Shanmullagh ; old mullach or summit.
Shantallow; Sean-talamh [Shantalav], old land.
Shanvally ; old bally or town (b aspirated).
Shean, Sheean, Sheeaun; Sidhedn [sheeaun], a fairy
i *ii
hili.
Shee ; sidh [shee], a fairy, a fairy hill.
Sheeroe ; red fairy hill.
Sheetrim; Sidh-dhruim [Sheedrim), fairy ridge.
Shelburne barony in Wexford; from the tribe of Siol-
Srain (O'Dugan), the seed or progeny of Bran.
Shelmaliere in Wexford ; the descendants of Maliere or
Maelughra [Meelura].
Sheskin ; Sescenn, a marsh. See Seskin. «
82 Irish Lorn/ Names explained.
Shillelagh in Wicklow; Siol-Elaigh (Sheelealy : O'Du
gan], the seed or descendants of Elach.
Shinrone in King's County; Suidhe-an-r6in [Sheenrone],
F.-M., the seat of the ron, i. e. literally a seal, but
figuratively a hirsute or hairy man.
Shrone ; sr6n, a nose, a pointed hilL
Shruel, Shrule ; see page 3.
Sion ; sidhedn [sheeaun], a fairy mount,
Skagh ; Sceach, a white thorn bush.
Skahanagh, Skehanagh; a place full ofsceachf or white
thorns.
Skeagh, Skea ; the same as Skagh,
Skeheen ; a little sceach or bush.
Skelgagh ; a place of skelligs or rocks.
Skellig rocks off the coast of Kerry; Sceilig means a
rock.
Skerries, Skerry; Sceir [sker], a sea rock; see-ire [skerry],
sea rocks.
Skreen, Skrine; Serin [skreen], a shrine.
Sleaty in Queen's County; sleibhte [Sleaty], F. M., i. e.
mountains, the plural ofsliabh : from the adjacent hills
of Slieve Margy.
Slee ; Slighe [slee], a road.
Slemish mountain in Antrim, on which St. Patrick passed
his youth herding swine; Sliabh- Mis, the mountain of
Mis, a woman's name.
Sleveen ; little slieve or mountain.
Slieve ; Sliabh [sleeve], a mountain.
Slieve Anierin in Leitrim ; Sliabh-an-iarainn, the moun-
tain of the iron ; from its richness in iron ore.
Slievebane, Slievebaun; white mountain.
Slievebeagh, a range of mountains on the borders of
Monaghan, Fermanagh, and Tyrone; Sliabh- Beatha
[Slieve Baha], F. M., the mountain of Jiith, a le-
gendary hero.
Slieve Bernagh in the east of Clare ; Sliabh-bearnach,
gapped mountain. See Lisdoonvarna.
Slievebloom; Sliabh- Bladhma [Slieve-Blawma], F. M.,
the mountain of Bladh [Blaw], one of the Milesian
heroes.
Slieveboy; yellow mountain.
Irish Local Names explained. 83
Slieve Corragh; rugged mountain.
Slieve Donard, the highest of the Mourne mountains.
Domhanghart [DonartJ, son of the king of TJlidia, and
one of St. Patrick's disciples, built a little church on
the very summit of this mountain; hence it was
called Sliabh- Domhanghart, Donarffs mountain, now
anglicised Slieve Donard. Its ancient name was Slieve
Slanga, from the bardic hero Slainge, the son of
Parthalon, who was buried on its summit, where his
earn is still to be seen.
Slieve Eelim, a mountain range east of Limerick; Sliabh-
Eibhlinm [Slieve-Evlinne], Evlin's mountain.
Slieve Fuad near Newtownhamilton in Armagh; Fuad's
mountain ; from the Milesian hero Fuad, who was
slain there.
Slieve League in Donegal; Slialh-liag, the mountain
of the flag-stones.
Slieve Lougher east of Castleisland in Kerry; Sliabh-
luachra, rushy mountain.
Slieve Hish near Tralee ; same as Slemish.
Slievenagriddle near Downpatrick ; the mountain of the
griddle ; the griddle is a cromlech on the hill.
Slievenamon in Tipperary; Sliabh-na-mban, the moun-
tain of the women. Full name Sliabh-na~mlan-
Feimhinn [Slievenamon-Fevin], the mountain of the
women of Feimheann, the ancient territory surround-
ing it.
Slievenamuck ; the mountain of the pigs.
Slievereagh ; Sliabh-riabhach, grey mountain.
Slieveroe ; red mountain.
Slievesnaght ; the mountain of the snow (sneacht).
Sligo ; named from the river : Sligeach [Sliggagh], F. M.,
shelly river (slig, a shell).
Sliguff; a corruption (see page 4) from Slighe-dhubh
[Slee-duv], black road.
Slyne Head in Galway; Irish name Ceann-leama [Can-
leama], the head of the lyme or leap (leim), which
has been corrupted to the present name by changing
m to n, and prefixing s. See Stabannon.
Solloghod in Tipperary ; Sulchoid [sollohed], F. M., sal-
low wood.
e 2
84 Irish Local Names explained.
Sonnagh; a mound or rampart.
Sragh, Siah ; sralh [srah], a river holm.
Srahan, Srahaun, Sraheen; little river holm.
Sroohill ; see page 3.
Srough; Sruth [sruh], a stream.
Sroughmore ; great sruth or stream.
Sruffaun; Sruthdn [Sruhaun], a streamlet (p. 4).
Stabannon; corrupted from Tabannon, Bannon's house
(teach\ by prefixing «. See Slyne head.
Stackallen in Meath; Teach-Collain [Tacollan], F. M.,
Collan's house.
Staholmog in Meath ; St. Colmoc's or Mocholmoc's
house.
Stamullin in Meath ; MaelarHs house.
Stang ; a measure of land.
Stillorgan in Dublin ; Tigh-Lorcain [Teelorcan], Lor-
can's or Laurence's house or church.
Stonecarthy in Kilkenny ; first syllable a corruption of
stang : Carthy's stang or measure of land.
Stonybatter in Dublin ; stony road : see Batterstown and
Booterstown.
Stook; Stuaie [stook], a pointed pinnacle.
Stookan, Stookeen ; a little stook or pointed rock.
Stradbally; Sradbhaile [Sradvally], F. M., street- town;
a town of one street.
Stradone, Stradowan; Srath-doimhin [Sradowan], deep
srath or river holm.
Stradreagh ; grey street.
Straduff ; black river holm.
Straffan in Kildare ; same as Sruffaun.
Straid, Strade, Sraud; Srdid [Sraud], a street
Strancally near Youghal ; Sron-caillighe [Srone-cally],
the hag's nose or point.
Strangford Lough in Down; a Danish name; stron?
fiord or bay, from the well-known tidal currents at
its entrance. Irish name Loch Cuan.
Struell ; see page 3.
Sylaun; a place of sallows.
Taghadoe in Kildare; Teach-Tuae [Taghtoo], F. M.,
the house of St. Tu;i.
Taghboy ; yellow house.
Irish Locab Names explained. 85
Taghmon in Wexford; written in the Book of Leinster
Teach-Munna [Taghmunna], the house of St. Munna
or Fintan, who founded a monastery there, and died
in A. D. 634.
Tallaght in Dublin ; Taimhleacht [Tavlaght], a plague
monument. According to the bardic legend, 9000
of Parthalon's people died of the plague, and were
buried in this place, which was therefore called
the Taimhleacht or plague grave of Parthalon's
people.
Tamlaght, Tamlat; a plague grave; same as Tallaght.
Tamnagh, Tamny ; Tamhnach, a green field.
Tanderagee ; a corruption of T6in~re-gaeith [Tonregee],
backside to the wind. See Tonlegee.
Tara; Teamhair [Tawer], F. M., a residence on an
elevated spot, commanding an extensive view. There
are many places of this name in Ireland, besides the
celebrated Tara in Meath.
Tarmon ; the same as Termon.
Tat, Tate, Tath; a measure of land.
Tattygare ; short tate or land measure.
Taughboyne in Donegal ; Tech-Baeithin [Taghbwee-
heen], O'C. Cal., the house of St. Baeithin ; he was
a companion of St. Columkille, and governed the
monastery of lona after that saint's death. Died in
A. D. 600.
Tavanagh, Tavnagh ; Tamhnach, a green field.
Tawlaght; a plague monument. See Tallaght.
Tawnagh, Tawny ; Tamhnach, a green field.
Tawnaghmore ; great field.
Tecolm in Queen's County; Tigh-Choluim [Teecolum].
St. Columkille's house.
Teebane; Tigh-ldn [Teebaun], white house.
Teemore; great house (tigh).
Teev, Teeve ; Taebh, the side, a hill side.
Teltown on the Blackwater in Meath. Lewy of the
long hand, one of the Tuatha De Danann kings,
established a fair or gathering of the people, to be
held here yearly on the first of August, in which
games, pastimes, and marriages were celebrated; an A
in honour of his foster mother Taillte [Telta], he
86 Irish Local Names explained.
called the place Tailltenn [Teltenn], now modernized
to Teltown.
Temple ; Teamputt, a church.
Templeachally in Tipperary ; the church of the cola or
marshy meadow.
Templebredon in Tipperary; O'Bredon's church.
Templebreedy ; St. Brigid's church.
Templecarn in Donegal ; the church of the earn or
monument.
Temple-etney in Tipperary ; St. Eithne's church.
Templemichael ; the church of the Archangel Michael.
Templemolaga in Cork; the church of St. Malaga, a
native of Fennoy, who died on the 20th of January,
some short time before the year 664.
Templemore ; great church ; a cathedral.
Templemoyle; bald or dilapidated church (maeF).
Templenacarriga ; the church of the rock.
Templenoe, Templenew; Teampull-nua, new church.
Templepatrick ; St. Patrick's church.
Templeport; the church of the port or bank.
Terapleshanbo in "Wexford. Ancient pagan name Sean-
both-Sine [Shanboh-Sheena], Sin's or Sheen's old
tent or hut; and in Christian times, after a church had
been erected there, the present name was formed
by the addition of the word Temple to Seanboth:
Templeshanbo, the church of Seanboth.
Templetogher in Gal way ; the church of the causeway
(tdchar), from a celebrated old togher across a bog.
Templetuohy in Tipperary; the church of the tuatk or
territory, because it was the principal church of the
district.
Tempo in Fermanagh; shortened from the full Irish
name an t-Iompodh-deisiol [an Timpo deshill], the
turning from left to right. lompodh [impo] means
turning ; deisiol, right handed ; and the article an
prefixed takes a t in this case, which became incor-
porated with the word. The place received its name.
no doubt, from the ancient custom of turning sun.
ways in worship.
Terenure; Tir-an-iubhair, the land of the yew.
Ternion; Tearmann, church land.
Irish Local Names explained 8?
Terraonfeckin ; St. Fechin's church land.
Terryglass in Tipperary ; called in Irish authorities Tir-
da-ghlas [Tir-a-glas], which Adamnan in his Life of
St. Columba translates Affer-duorum-rivorum, the land
of the two streams.
Thurles in Tipperary ; Durlios [Durlas], strong Us or
fort. In the annals it is commonly called Durlas-
O'Fogarty, from the O'Fogartys, the ancient proprie-
tors of the surrounding district. See Eliogarty.
Tiaquin, barony of, in Galway; shortened from Tigh-
Dachonna [Tee-aconna], F. M., St. Dachonna's house.
Tibberaghny in Kilkenny : Tiobrad-Fachtna [Tibbrad-
aghna], F. M., St. Faghna's well.
Tibohine in Koscommon; Tech-Baeithin (O'Cal. Cal.),
St. Baeithin's house. The name is the same as Taugh-
boyne, but this is a different Baeithin ; he was of the
race of Enda, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and
was one of the ecclesiastics to whom the apostolic
letter was written in the year 640, on the subject of
the time for celebrating Easter.
Tieve ; Taebh [teeve], a side, a hill-side.
Tievebrack ; speckled hill- side.
Tiglin in Wicklow ; the house of the glen.
Tiknock, Ticknock, Ticknick; Tigh-cnuic [Ticknick],
the house of the hill.
Timahoe in Queen's County ; Tech-Mochua [Tee-Mohua],
O'C. Cal., the house of St. Mochua, the original foun-
der and patron, who flourished in the sixth century.
Timogue in Queen's County ; St. Mogue's house.
Timoleague in Cork; Teach-Molaga, F. M., Molagdi
house, from St. Molaga of Templemolaga.
Timolin in Kildare ; Tigh-Moling [Tee-Moling], St. Mo-
ling's house, from a church erected there by St.
Moling of St. Mullins.
Tinamuck ; Tigh-na-muc, the house of the pigs.
Tincurragh, Tincurry; Tigh-an-churraigh [Tincurry],
the house of the currach or marsh.
Tinnahinch, Tinnehinch ; Tigh-na-hinnse [Tee-na-hin-
sha], the house of the island or river meadow.
Tinnakill, Tinnakilly ; the house of the church or wood.
88 Irish Local Names explained.
Tirmascart, Tinnascarty; the house of the cluster or
thicket (scairt).
Tinnick, Tinnock, Tinock ; same as Tiknock.
Tipper ; a form of Tobar, a well.
Tipperary; Tiobraid-Arann [Tibrad-Auran], F. M., the
well of Ara, the ancient territory in which it was
situated. The well that gave this name to the town
and thence to the county, was situated in the Main-
street, but it is now closed up.
Tipperkevin in Kildare ; St. Kevin's well.
Tipperstown in Dublin and Kildare ; a half translation
from Baile-an-tolair [Ballintubber], the town of the
well.
Tiranascragh in Gal way ; Tir-an-eascrach, the land of
the esker or sand hill.
Tirawly, barony of, in Mayo ; Tir-Amha jaidh [Awly],
the land or district of Amhalgaidh, kiiw; of Connaught,
brother of the monarch Dathi, and son of Ohy Moy-
vane, king of Ireland from A. D. 358 to 365.
Tirconnell, the ancient name of Donegal; Tir-Conaill,
the land or district of Conall Gulban, son of Niall of
the Nine Hostages.
Tireragh, barony of, in Sligo ; Tir-Fhiachrach [Tir-
eeragh], F. M., the district of Fiachra, son of Dathi,
and grandson of Ohy Moyvane. See Tirawly.
Tirerrill, barony of, in Sligo ; Tir- Oiliolla [ollila], Hy
F., the district of Olioll, son of Ohy Moyvane (see
Tirawly). L changed to r : see p. 3.
Tirkeeran, barony of, in Deny ; Tir- Chaerthainn [Tir-
keerhinj, the district of Kieran, the great grandson of
Colla uais, brother of Colla Meann. See Cremorne
Tisaran in King's County ; from an old church which is
called in the Calendars Teach-Sarain [Tasaran], the
house of St. Saran, the founder, who was of the race
of the Dealbhna. See Delvin.
Tisaxon ; the house of the Saxons or Englishmen.
Tiscoffin in Kilkenny; see page 4.
Tober ; Tobar, a well.
Toberaheena; the well of Friday (aeine, pron. eena); from
the custom of visiting the well and performing devo-
tions on Fridav.
Irish Local Names explained. 89
Toberbilly ; the well of the ancient tree (lilt).
Tobercurry i.a Sligo ; written by Mac Firbis, Tober-an-
choire, the well of the caldron or pit.
Tobermore ; great well.
Toberreendoney in various counties ; Tobar-righ-an-
domhnaigh [Toberreendowny], the well of the king of
Sunday (i. e. of God) ; these wells were so called be-
cause they were visited on Sunday.
Togher; T6char, a causeway.
Tomdeely in Limerick ; the tumulus (tuaim) of the
river Deel.
Tomfinlough in Clare ; Tuaim- FionnlocJia, F. M., the
tumulus of the bright lake (fionn, bright, clear) ;
from an old church by a lake near Sixmile-bridge.
Tomgraney in Clare ; Tuaim-greiw [Toomgraneyl, F. M.,
the tumulus of the lady Grian, about whom there are
many traditions.
Tomies mountain over the lower lake of Killarney;
Tumaidhe [Toomy], tumuli or monumental mounds;
from two sepulchral heaps on the top of the moun-
tain.
Tomregan in Cavan ; Tuaim-Drecon [Toom-reckon : D
aspirated — see p. 2], F. M., Brecon's burial mound.
Tonagh; Tamhnach [Townagh], a field.
Tonbane, Tonbaun ; white t6in or backside.
TondufF; black backside (tdin).
Tonlegee ; T6in-le-gaeith, backside to the wind.
Tonnagh ; a mound or rampart.
Tonregee ; same as Tanderagee and Tonlegee.
Tonroe ; red backside.
Tooman ; Tuaman, a small tumulus.
Toome, Toom; Tuaim [Toom], a tumulus or burial
mound.
Toomore, Toomour; Tuaim-dha-bhodhar[Toom-Si-vrouT'],
F. M., the tumulus of the two deaf persons.
Toomy vara in Tipperary, exactly represents the sound
of the Irish Tuaim-ui-Mheadhra, the tumulus or
tomb of O'Mara.
Toor, Tuar, a bleach green or drying place.
Toorard ; high bleach green.
Tooreen ; little bleach green.
90 Irish Local Names explained.
Toormore ; great bleach green.
Toortane, Toortaun ; Tortan, a small hillock.
Tor ; a tower, a tall tower-like rock.
. Tore mountain at Killarney ; the mountain of the tore*
or boars.
Tormore ; great tower or tower- like rock.
Tory island off the coast of Donegal ; Torach (Wars of
GG.), towery, i. e. abounding in tors or tower-like
rocks.
Touaghty in Mayo ; Tuath-Aitheachta [Thoo-ahaghta],
Hy. F., the tuath or district of the attacotti or ple-
beians, i. e. the races vanquished and enslaved by the
Milesians.
Tourin ; little bleach green ; same as Tooreen.
Tralee; Traigh-Li [Tralee], F. M., the strand of the
Lee, a little river which runs into the sea at the town,
but which is now covered over.
Tramore ; Traigh-mor, great strand.
Trean, Trien ; Trian, a third part.
Treanbaun; white third.
Treanboy ; yellow third.
Treanlaur ; middle third (Idr, middle).
Treanmanagh ; middle third (meadhonach).
Trevet in Meath; Trefoil [Trefote], F. M., three fods
or sods ; so named, according to the Leabhar-na-
hutdhre, because when Art, the son of Conu of the
Hundred Battles was buried there, three sods were
dug over his grave in honour of the Trinity.
Trillick ; Tri-liag. three Hags or pillar stones.
Trim in Meath; inl name Ath-truim [Ah-trim], the
ford of the elder bushes.
Troinaun ; a place producing elder bushes (trom).
Trough, barony of, in Monaghan ; Triuclia [Truha], a
cantred or district.
Trumman, Trummery ; same as Tromaun.
Tuam in Galway ; Tuaim-da-gJiualann [Tuam-a-woolan],
the tumulus of the two shoulders, from the shape of
the old sepulchral mound that gave name to the
place.
Tubbrid ; same as Tober ; a well.
Tulla, Tullach ; Tulach, a little hill.
Irish Local Names explained. 91
Tullaghan ; a little tulach or hill.
Tullaghmelan in Tipperary ; Moylan's hill.
Tullahogue in Tyrone ; Tulach-og^ F. M., the hill of the
youths.
Tullahaught in Kilkenny; Tulach- ocht, the hill of the
eight (persons).
Tullamore ; great hill ; same as Tullymore.
Tullig ; another form of Tulach, a hill.
Tullow ; Tulach, a little hill.
Tullowphelim, a parish containing the town of Tullow
in Carlo w; contracted from Tullow-offelimy,. the
tulach or hill of the territory of the Hy Felimy, a
tribe descended and named from Felimy, son of
Enna Kinsella, king of Leinster in the fourth century.
Tully ; a little hill ; same as Tulla.
Tullyallen ; Tulaigh-dluinn [Tullyaulin], beautiful hill.
Tullyard ; high hill.
Tullybane, Tullybaun ; Tulaigh-ldn, white hilL
Tullybeg ; little tulach or hill.
Tullycorbet ; the hill of the chariot (carbad).
Tullyglass ; green hill.
Tullyhaw, barony of, in Cavan ; so called from the
Magaurans, its ancient proprietors, whose tribe name
was Tealach-Echach [Tulla-eha : O'Dugan], the
family of Eochy or Ohy.
Tullylease in Cork ; Tulach-ltas [Tullaleese], the hill of
the huts.
Tullymongan at Cayan ; Tulach- Mongain, F. M., Mon-
gan'shill.
Tullymore ; great hill ; same as Tullamore.
Tullynacross ; the hill of the cross.
Tullynagardy near Newtownards; Tulaigh-na-gceard
cha, the hill of the forges.
Tullynaskeagh ; the hill of the white thorns.
Tullynure ; Tulach-an-iubhair, the hill of the yew.
Tullyroe ; red hill.
Tullyrusk in Antrim : the hill on which the old church
stands, was surrounded by marshy ground; hence
the name, which Colgan writes Tulach-ruisc, the hill
of the morass. See Rusk.
Tullytrasna ; cross or transverse hill.
92 7mA Local Names explained.
Tumna in Roscommon ; Tuaim-mna, F. M., the tomb of
the woman (bean, gen. mna),
Tuosistin Kerry; Tuath-0'Sio8ta[0'Sheesta'], O'Sios-
ta's territory.
Ture ; the yew. The word iubhar [yure] has incorpo-
rated the t of the article, like Tempo.
Turlough ; a lake that dries up in summer.
Twelve Pins, a remarkable group of mountains in Con-
nemara; should have been called the Twelve Bens,
i e. peaks. Sometimes called " The Twelve Pins of
Bunnabola," in which the word leann occurs twice;
for Bunnabola is Beanna-Beola [Banna-Bola], the
peaks of Beola, an old Firbolg chief, who is still re-
membered in tradition. See Mourne.
Tyfarnham in Westmeath; Farannan's house (tigh\;
the same person that gave name to Multyfarnham,
Tyone in Tipperary; Tigh-E6in, John's house.
Tyrella in Down; Tech-Riaghla [Tee-Reela], O'C. Cal.
the house of St. Riaghal [Reeal] or Regulus.
Tyrone. The descendants of Eoghan [Owen], son of
Niall of the Nine Hostages, possessed the territory
extending over the counties of Tyrone and Derry and
the two baronies of Raphoe and Inishowen in Done-
gal ; all this district was anciently called Tir-Eoghain
[Tir-Owen : Wars of GG.], Owen's territory, which
is now written Tyrone, and restricted to one county.
See Inishowen.
Ulster; ancient Irish form Uladh [ulla], which with
tier added (see Leinster), was pronounced Ulla-ster,
and contracted to Ulster.
Oinmera, Ummery, Unary ; lomaire [Ummera], a ridge.
Ummeracam, Umrycam ; lomaire-cam, crooked ridge.
Ummerafree; the ridge of the heath (fraecJi).
Unshinagh, Inshinagh ; Uimeannach, a place producing
ash trees (uinnse and fuinnse).
Uragh ; lubhrach [yuragh], yew land.
Urbal; a tail; from shape or position.
Urbalreagh in Antrim, Donegal, and Tyrone; grey
tail.
Urbalsbinny in Donegal ; the fox's tail (sionnach),
from some peculiarity of shape, or perhaps from hav-
ing been a resort of foxes.
Irish Local Names explained. 93
Urcher; Urchur, a cast or throw. See Ardnurcher.
Uregare in Limerick; lulhar-ghearr [yure-yar], short
yew tree.
Urney, Urny; Urnaidhe [TJrny], an oratory. SceNur-
ney.
Urlar, Urlaur; a floor, a level place.
Valentia Island in Kerry ; so called by the Spaniards.
Ancient and present Irish name, Dairlhre [Darrery],
a place producing oaks. See Kildorrery.
Vartry river in Wicklow ; a corruption of the old tribe
name Fir-tire [Firteera], the men of the territory
(tir).
Ventry in Kerry ; got its name from a beautiful white
strand, called in Irish Fionn-traigh [Fintra], white
strand.
Wateresk ; upper channel (eisc). See Kilwatennoy.
Waterford ; a Danish name ; old form Vadrefiord, the
latter part of which is the northern word fiord, a sea
inlet Old Irish name Port-Lairge or Portlargy
See Strangford and Carlingford.
Watergrasshill in Cork; a translation of the Irish name,
Cnocdn-na-liolraighe [Knockaun-na-billery], the little
hill of the water-cresses.
"Wexford ; a Danish name ; old form Weisford, which
is said to mean west fiord or bay ; old Irish name,
Carman.
Wicklow; a Danish name; old forms of the name,
Wkyynglo, Wygyngelo, Wykinlo. Old Irish name
Kilmantan, the church of St. Mantan, one of St.
Patrick's disciples. This saint, according to the An-
nals of Clonmacnoise and other authorities, had his
front teeth knocked out by a blow of a stone, from
one of the barbarians who opposed St Patrick's land-
ing in Wicklow; hence he was called Mantan, or the
toothless.
Windgap, Windygap ; a translation of Bearna-na-
gaeithe [Barnanageehy], the gap of the wind.
Witter in Down; Uachdar, upper. See Wateresk and
Eighter.
Wood of 0 near Tullamore in King's County; the Irish
name is E6chaill, yew-wood, the same as Youghal-,
Irish Local Names explained
modern name an attempted translation : — Wood of 0,
i. e. the wood of the e6 or yew.
Yellow Batter, and Green Batter, near Drogheda ; bat-
ter here means a road. See Booterstown and Batters-
town.
Sewer near Killashandra in Cavan ; an anglicised form
of lubhar [yure], the yew tree. See Newry.
Youghal in Cork. A yew wood grew anciently on the
hill slope now occupied by the town, and even yet
some of the old yews remain ; hence it was called
Eochaill [Oghill], F. M., i. e. yew wood. See Oghill
and AughalL
VOCABULARY OF IRISH ROOT WORDS,
(The principal modern forms are giyen in Italica)
Abh [aw or ow], a river ; aw, ow.
Abhainn [owen], a river ; owen, avon, and in the end
of words, with the h of the article, hown, hone, howna,
hivnia.
Abh all [owl, ool, or avel], an apple, an apple tree ; in
some parts of the north it is used in the sense of
•'orchard." Modern forms owl, ool, owle, aval, &c.
Achadh [aha], a field ; it is generally represented in
modern names by agha, agh, or augh, but these also
often stand for aih, a ford.
Aenach [enagh], anciently signified any assembly of the
people, but it is now always applied to a cattle fair ;
enagh, eeny, eena, eanig.
Aileach [ellagh], a circular stone fort ; ellagh, elly.
Aill [oil], a cliff; ayle, aille, &c. See Faill.
Aireagal [arrigal], a habitation, an oratory, a small
church ; arrigle and errigal.
Airne [arney], a sloe; arney.
Ait [aut], a place, a site; commonly made at: fre-
quently combines with teach, a house, to form the
compound ait-tighe [aut-tee], in modern forms atty
or atti, a house site.
Aiteann [attan], furze; forms the terminations -attin,
-attina.
Aith [ah], a kiln of any kind; made -haia, -hagh, -haha,
-hay, -hey, and -hoy, in the end of names.
Alt, a height, a cliff, a glen side.
An, the Irish definite article.
Ar [awr], slaughter ; are, aur, and «»>.
Ard, high, a height.
96 Vocabulary of Irish Root Word*.
Ath [ah], a ford ; ath, ah, augh, agh, a, aha, aw, &c.
Bad [baud], a boat.
Badhun [bawn], a cow fortress, the lawn of a castle.
Baile [bally], a town, a townland ; bally, balli, vally
and in the eastern counties bal.
Ban [bawn], white or fair coloured; bane, baun, bawn,
vane, vaun.
Barr [baur], the top, the highest point; bar, baur. The
Bar of a townland (used in the north) is the high or
hilly part.
Beag [beg], little.
Bealach [ballagh], a road or pass ; ballagh, vally.
Bealltaine [beltany], the first day of May ; celebrated
as a festival by the pagan Irish.
Beann [ban, ben], a horn, a gable, a peak, or pointed
hill.
Beannchar [banaher], horns, gables, peaks ; banagher,
bangor.
Beam, bearna, bearnas [barn, barna, barnas], a gap, a
gap in a mountain ; barna, barny, varna, varny, baniis,
varnis, and often in the north barnet.
Bearnach [barnagh], gapped.
Beith [beh], the birch tree ; beitheach [behagh] a birchy
place; behy, beha, beagh, behagh, veha, vehy, &c.
Bel, beul [bale], the mouth, an entrance, a ford ; often
joined to ath in the compound bel-atha [bellaha,
bella], a ford-mouth or ford entrance.
Bile [billa], a large ancient tree ; a tree held in venera-
tion for any reason ; billa, billy, villa, ville, filly, bella,
vella.
Biorar [birrer], watercress; usually corrupted to biolar
[biller] ; vtller, vilra, &c.
Bo, a cow ; bo, boe, and by eclipse, moe (mbo) ; see
page 2.
Boireann [burren], a large rock, a rocky district
Both [boh], a tent or hut ; bo, boh, boha, bohy, voe.
Bothar [boher], a road ; boher and voher. In some of
the eastern counties it is corrupted to batter. Bo-
hereen, a little road.
Braghad [braud], the ttuv*t; a gorge: braid, broad,
brand.
Vocabulary of Irish Root Words. 97
Bran, a raven.
lU-each [breagh], a wolf; occurs in the compound
breachmhagh [breagh van], wolf-field.
Bri [irtftf], a hill; bree, bray.
Broc [jbruck~], a badger ; brock, brick, and, by eclipse,
mrock ; see p. 2.
Brocach [bruckagh], a badger warren ; brockagh, brocky,
Brugh [bru], a palace, a distinguished residence ; bru,
bru/. Bruighean [breean] has the same meaning ;
but in modern times it is used to denote a fairy
palace ; breen, bryan, breena, vreena.
Buaile [boolia], a booley, a feeding or milking pla<;» for
cows ; booley, boley, boola, voola, voula, vooly.
Buidhe [bwee or boy], yellow ; boy, wee, &c.
Buirghes [burris], a burgage or borough; borrii and
burns.
Bun, the end or bottom of anything ; the mouth of a river.
Cabhan [cavan], a hollow; in some parts of Ulster it
signifies a round hill; cavan.
Caech [kay], blind, purblind, one-eyed; keagh, kee.
Caenach [keenagh], moss; keenagh.
Caera [kaira], a sheep; keeragh, and, eclipsed with the
article, nayeeragh.
Caerthainn [kairhan], the quicken tree; keeran, caran,
kerane, keraun.
Cairthe [carha], a pillar stone ; carra, carha, and car.
Caiseal [cashel], a circular stone fort ; cashel, castle.
Caislean [cushlaun], a castle; cashlaun, cashlane.
Gala, a marshy meadow along a river or lake; a landing
place for boats ; callow and cola.
Capall, a horse ; capple, cappul, and eclipsed with the
article (see p. 2), nagappul and nagapple.
Cam, a monumental heap of stones ; earn, carna.
Carr, a rock, rocky land.
Garraig [corrig], a rock ; carrig, carrick, car rig a.
Cartron, a quarter of land (Anglo-Norman).
Casan [cassaun], a path.
Cath [cah], a battle.
Cathair [caher], a circular stone fort, a city; caJier
cahir.
Ceallurach [calluragh], an old burial ground ;
98 Vocabulary of Irish Root Woras.
Cealtrach [caltragh], an old burial ground; dtiltragh.
'caldragh.
Ceann [can], the head, front, or highest part of any-
thing ; kan, can, kin, ken.
Ceapach [cappa], a plot of ground laid down in tillage;
cappagh, cappa, cap, cappy.
Ceard [card], an artificer; nagard, nagarde, "of the
artificers."
Ceardcha [cardha], a forge; carte, cart, cartan, carton.
Ceathramhadh [carhoo], a quarter, a quarter of land ,
carrow, carhoo, carrive.
Ceide [keady], a hillock, a hill level and smooth al
top ; keady, keadew, keadagh, cady, caddagh.
Ceis [kesh], a wicker basket, a wickerwork causeway;
kish, kesh.
Gill [kill], a church ; kill, kil, kyle, keel, cal, kille, killa.
Cinel [kinel], kindred, race, descendants; kind, kinal.
Cladh [cly or claw], a ditch; cly, claw, da.
Clann, children, a tribe; clan, clann.
Clar, a board, a plain ; clar, dare.
Clais [clash], a trenoh ; dash.
Cliath [clee], a hurdle.
Cloch, a stone, a stone castle ; cloak, dough, do, dohy,
cloy, naglogh.
Clochan, a row of stepping stones across a river, some-
times a stone castle ; doghan, cloghane, doghaun.
Cluain [cloon], a meadow, a fertile piece of land among
bogs, marshes, or woods; cloon, don, din, doony.
Cnap [knap], a knob, a round little hill; kna-p, nap,
crap, crup.
Cnoc [knock], a hill; knock, knick, nick, crock, cruck.
Cobhlach [cowlagh], a fleet ; cowly, howly, coltig, holt.
Coigeadh [coga], a fifth part, a province; cooga, coogue.
Coill, a wood ; kil, kyle, cuill, cullia.
Coinicer [knickere], a rabbit warren ; coney keare, com-
car, conigar, conigare, kinnegar, nicker, Sfc.
Coinin [cunneen], a rabbit ; coneen, nagoneen, nagoneeny.
Coll, the hazel : coll, col, cole, cull, cul, coyle, kyle, quill.
Congbhail [congwal], a habitation, a church ; conwal
connell, cunnayavale.
Cor, a round hill, &c
Vocabulary of Irish Hoot Words. $9
Cora, a weir; cor, corra, curra, cur.
Core, corca, race, progeny ; corka.
Corcach, a marsh ; corcagh, corkey, cork.
Corr, a crane or heron ; cor, gor, gore, nagor.
Cos, a foot ; cuss, cush, cosh.
Cot, a small boat; cotty.
Craebh [crave], a branch, a large branchy tree; creeve,
crew, creevy, nagreeve.
Craig [crag], a rock.
Crann, a tree; crann, cran, crin, nagran.
Crannog, an artificial island or lake dwelling; crannoge.
cronoge.
Creabhar [crour], a wood-cock; crour, nagrour.
Creamh [crav], wild garlic.
Croch, a cross, a gallows, crogh, crohy, crehy, creha.
Crochaire [crohera], a hangman; croghera, croghery,
nagroghery.
Cros, a cross; cross, crush, crusha.
Cruach, cruachan [cruagh, cruhaun], a rick, a round
stacked up hill ; crogh, cruagh, croagh, croghan,
croaghan.
Cruit [crit], a hump, a round little hill ; cruit, crotta,
crutta, crit.
Cu, a fierce dog, a hound — genitive con ; con, nagon,
nagun.
Cuas [coose], a cave, a cove; coos, coose, cose, couse,
goose, gose, nagoose.
Cuil [cooil], a corner, an angle; cool, cole.
Cuillionn [cullion], holly; cullion, cullen.
Cum [coom], a hollow, a dell or valley enclosed, except
on one side, by mountains; coom, coum, coomle.
Currach, a marsh ; ourragh, curry, curra.
Da [daw], two ; da, daio, a.
Daingean [dangan], a fortress: dangan, dingin, dingle.
Dair [dar], an oak ; dar, der, dara, darra, darragh.
Dairbhre [darrery], an oak forest, a place producing
oaks; darrery, dorrery, darraragh, derravara.
Daire or doire [derry], an oak grove or wood; derry,
derri, der.
Damh [dauv], an ox; dav, dev, daw, duff, diff, aj)\ ufft
iff, and by eclipse, nanav.
100 Vocabulary of Irish Root Words.
Dearc, derc [derkj, a cave; derlt, dirk, dark.
Dearg [dergj, red; derg, derrig, darrig.
Dearmhagh [darwah~|, oak- plain ; durrow, dutra, dtrrow.
Disert, a desert, a hermitage ; disert, desert, dt/sart, dy-
tert, ister, ester, isert, ishart, tristle.
Domhnach [downagh], Sunday, a church ; donagh, donna,
donny, don, dun.
Draeighean, [dreean], blackthorn; dreen, drain, drin.
Droichead [drohed], a bridge ; droghed, drehid, drought
drait.
Druim [drum], the back, a ridge or long hill ; drum
drom, drim, drum.
Dumha [dooa], a burial mound ; dooey, dooa, doo, doe.
Dun [doon~], a fortified fort, a kingly residence ; dun,
don, doon, down.
Dur, strong.
Each [agh], a horse ; augh, agh, eigh, &c.
Eaglais [aglish], a church ; aglish, eglish, heagles, eglit.
Eanach fannagh], a marsh ; annagh, anna* anny.
Eas [ass], a waterfall ; ass, ess, assy, assa.
Eascu, eascan [asscu, asscan], an eel ; askin.
Edar, between ; eder, ader, adder.
Eidhnean [maun], ivy; eidneach [inagh], an ivy-bearing
place; inane, inagh, eany, enagh.
Eilit [ellit], a doe; elty, ilty, elt, ilt.
Eisc [esk], a water channel ; esk.
Eiscir [esker], a ridge of high land, a sand hill ; esker,
taker a, ascragh, esker agh.
En fain], a bird ; naneane, " of the birds."
E6 [o], a yew tree ; 0, oe, yo.
Eochaill [oghill] a yew wood ; oghill; cughal, youghal
Eudan [eden], the forehead, a hill brow ; eden, edn.
Ey (Danish), an island ; ey, i, ay, eye.
Fada, long ; fada, fad, ad, ada, adda.
Faeilean, faeileog [fweelaun, fweeloge], a sea gull
naweelann, natceeloge ("of the sea gulls"), tcheelion,
eelan.
Faill [foyle], a cliff ; foyle, foil, fall. See Aill.
Faithche [f'uha], a green level space near a residencu
for games, exercises, &c. ; a level field; faha^ fahy
Vocabulary of 1 run Root Words. 101
Fasach [faussagh], a wilderness ; fasagh, fassagh, fassa.
Feadan [faddaun], a streamlet ; faddan, feddan, fiddan,
fiddane, eddan.
Feadog [faddoge], a plover ; viddoge, vaddoge, faddock,
feddock.
Feannog [fannoge], a scaldcrow ; finnoge, funnock, van-
noge.
Fear [far], a man ; fir, feara, men ; fer, fir, and by
eclipse, navar.
I earann [farran], land ; farran, farn, arran.
Fearn, fearnog [farn, farnoge], the alder tree; farn,
fern, farnagh, ferney, farnane, farnoge, navarn, navern,
navarna.
Fearsad [farsa,d], a sand bank formed in a river by the
opposing currents of tide and stream ; far set, farsid,
farsad, fast.
Fert, ferta, a trench, a grave ; fert, farta, ferta, fartha,
aria, navart.
Fiach [feeagh], a raven ; ee, eha, eigh, naveagh.
Fiadh [feea], a deer ; eiah, eag, naveigh.
Fidh [fih], a wood ; fee, fi, feigh, feth, fith, fid.
Fionn, finn [fin], white, clear, transparent; fin, finn,
fune, foun.
Fiord (Danish), a sea inlet ; ford.
Fornocht, a bare, naked, or exposed hill; forenaght,
fornaght, farnagkt.
Fraech [freagh], heath; freagh,freugh,free, ree.
Fuaran [fooran], a cold spring ; see Uaran.
Fuinnse, fuinnseann, fuinnseog [funsha, funshan, fun-
shoge], the ash tree ; funcheon, funshin, funshinagh,
funchoge. The /is omitted in the north, giving rise
to such forms as unshin, unshinagh, inshinagh, unshoy.
hinchoge.
Gabhal [goul, gole], a fork, a river fork ; goul, gole,
qowel, goole, gola.
v 7 t7 / »7
Gabhar [gour], a goat ; gower, gour, gore.
Gaertha [gairha], a thicket along a river ; gearha, gea
ragh, geeragh, gairha, geary.
Gall [Gaul], a foreigner, a Gaul; a standing stone;
gall, gal, gaul, guile, gill, gullia.
Gallan [gallaun], a standing stone ; gallon, gullant.
• 9
102 Vocabulary of Irish Root Words.
Gaeth [gwee], wind ; gee, geeha, geehy, geeth.
Gamhan [gowan], a calf; gowan, gown.
Gamhnach [gownagh], a milch cow, & stripper; gownagh,
gawnagh.
Garbh [garriv], rough, rugged ; garrijf, garve, garra.
Garran [garraun], a shrubbery ; garran, garrane, gar*
raun, garn.
Garrdha [gaura], a garden ; garra, garry.
Gedh [gay], a goose ; gay.
Glaise, glais, glas [glasha, glash, glas], a streamlet;
fflasha, glash, glas, glush.
Glas, green; glass.
Gleann [glan], a glen or valley ; glen, glin, glynn, glant
glanna.
Gniomh [gneeve], a measure of land ; gneeve.
Gobha, gen. gobhan [gow, gown], a smith ; goto, goet
go, gown, gowan, guivna.
Gorm, green; gorm.
Gort, a tilled field ; gort, gurt, gart.
Greuch [greagh], a marshy place; greagh, greugh.
Graig, a village; graigue, grog, greg.
Grian [greean], the sun ; green, gren, greany.
Grianan [greenan], a summer house, a palace; greenan,
greenane, greenaun, grenan, grennan.
Guala [goolaj, the shoulder, a hill; goolan, golden.
Imleach [imlagh], a marsh on the margin of a lake or
river; emlagh, emly, imilagh.
Inbhear [inver], the mouth of a river ; inver, enner,
ineer.
Inis [inishl, an island, a low meadow along a river;
tnis, »m«A, ennis, inch.
lolar [iller], an eagle ; tiler, uller, ilra, ulra, illard.
lomaire [ummera], a ridge or long hill ; ummera, urn-
mery, umry. atnery.
lubhar fyure], a yew tree ; ure.
Ladhar [lyre, lear], a fork, a fork formed by glens or
rivers; lyre, lear.
Laegh [lay], a calf; he, lea, high.
Lag, lug ; a hollow, a hollow in a mountain ; lag, lig,
1*9, %•
Lagh [law*], a hill : law, la.
Vocabulary of It-ink Root Words. 10&
Lann, a house, a church ; Ian, lann, land, lynn, lyn.
Larach [lauragh], a mare; lara, laragh.
Lathair, lathrach [lauher, lauragh], a site, a site of a
building ; laragh, lauragTi.
Lax (Danish), a salmon ; lax, leix.
Leaba, leabaidh [labba, labby], a bed, a grave ; labba,
lobby.
Leac, He, liag [lack, lick, leeg], a flagstone ; lack, leek,
lick, leek, leege.
Leaca, Leacan [lacka, lackan], the side of a hill ; lackan,
lafken, lackaun, leckan, leckaun, lacka.
Leacht [laght], a monumental heap of stones; laght,
lal, let, lett.
Leamh, learnhan [lav, lavaun], the elm tree; Icvan,
l&vane, livaun, laune, lamph.
Leamhchoill [lavwhill], an elm wood ; laughil, laghil,
laghile, loghill, loughill, lamjield, longfield.
Learg, leargaidh, leargan [larg, largy, largan], the side
or slope of a hill ; largy, largan.
Leath [lab.], half; lah, la, le.
Leathard [lahard], half height, a gentle hill; lahard,
lard.
Leim [lame], a leap ; learn, lem, Urn.
Leithinnsi [lehinshi], half island, a peninsula; lehinehr
lahinch, lynch.
Leitir [letter], a wet side of a hill, plural leatracha [la-
traha] ; letter, lattera, lettera, letteragh.
Liagan [legaun], a pillar stone; legan, legane, legaun
leegane, leagan.
Liath [leea], grey; lea.
Liathmhuine [leewinny], grey shrubbery ; leaffony, lea-
Jin, liafin, lefinn, leighmoney.
Lios [lis], a circular earthen fort; Us, Us, lisJi, lass,
lassa.
Loch, a lake ; lough, low.
Loisgrean [luskraun], corn burnt in the ear; hiftkraun,
loskeraun, loskeran, lustraun, lu&tran, lustrin.
Loisgthe [luska], burnt, burnt land ; lusky, losky, lust.
lion, londubh [Ion, londuv], a blackbird; lun.
Long, a ship ; long.
104 Vocabulary of Irish Root Words.
Longphort [longfort], a fortress ; longford, lonart, lun-
kard.
Lurga, lurgan, the shin, a long low hill; lurraga,
lurgan.
Machaire [mahera], a plain ; maghera, maghery.
Mac-tire [macteera], a wolf; micteera, victeera.
Madadh, madradh [madda, maddra], a dog; maddy,
maddoo, maddra, vaddy, vaddoo, vaddra.
Madhm [maum], an elevated mountain pass ; maum,
moym.
Mael [mwail], bald, a hornless cow, a bald or bare hill;
moyle, meel, mweel.
Maethail [mwayhil], soft spongy land ; mohill, molhel,
mothell, mehill, moyle, weehill.
Magh [maw], a plain; moy, ma, may, moigh, moig, muff,
mo.
Mas [mauce], the thigh, a long low hill •, mace, mas,
maus, mass.
Meall [mall], a lump, a round little hill ; maul.
Miliuc [meeluck], low marshy ground, land near a lake
or river ; meelick, melliek.
Min [meen], smooth, fine, small; meen.
Moin [mone], a bog; mone, mon, mono,, vone.
Mor [more], great, large ; more, mor.
Mota, a moat, a high mound ; moat, mota, mote.
Mothar [moher], in the north, a cluster of trees ; in the
south, the ruin of a fort, or of any building ; moher.
Muc [muck], a pig; muck, mucky.
Muileaii [mullenj, a mill; mullen, mullin, willin.
Muine [money], a shrubbery ; money.
Muintir [munter], family, people ; munter.
Muirisc [murrisk], a sea-side marsh; murrisk.
Mullach [mullagh], a summit; mullagh, mulla, mully,
mul.
Murbhach [murvah], a salt marsh along the sea ; mw-
vagh, murvey, murragh, murreagh, murrow.
Nas [nauce], an assembly place ; naas, nash.
Nead [nad], a bird's nest; nad, ned, nid, neih.
Og [oge], young, little ; oge, og, ock.
Oilean [oilaun], an island ; illan, illane, illaun.
Ouuia, au oak; omna. umna.
Vocabulary of Irish Root Words. 105
Os, a fawn ; uss, ish.
Piast [peeast], a beast, a worm, a serpent ; piast, peastia,
Pobul [pubble], people; public, pobble, popple, pobul,
phubble.
Poll, a hole ; poll, poul, pull, pool, foyle, phuill, phull.
Preachan [prehaun], a crow; preaghaun.
Puca [pooka], a pooka or spright ; pooka, puck, pook,
phuca.
Rath [raw], a circular fort; rath, raw, rah, ray, ra,
raha.
Reidh [ray], a coarse mountain flat ; rea, re, r«y.
Reilig [rellig], a cemetery ; relick, relig.
Riabhach [reeagh], grey ; reagh, rea.
Riasc [reesk], a marsh; riesk, retsk, risk, reask.
Rince, rinceadh [rinka], dance; rinky, rinka, rink.
Rinn, a point of land ; rin, rine, reen, ring, ranna.
Ros, generally means a wood in the south, and a pen-
insula in the north ; ross, rus, rush.
Rusg, a marsh ; roosk, rusk, rusky, rusky.
Saer [sair], a carpenter ; seer, teer.
Sagart, a priest ; saggart, taggart, teggart.
Saileach [saulagh], a sallow; sillagh, sallagh, sill.
SamhuinTsowen, savin], the first of November ; souna,
sawna, hawan, haman, haven, hawna.
Scairbh [scarriff], a shallow rugged ford ; skarriff,
scarry, scarva, scarvy, scarragh.
Scairt [scart], a thicket ; scart, scarty.
Sceach [skagh], a whitethorn bush; skeagh, skehy, skey,
ske, skeha, skew.
Scealp [skalp], a cleft; scalp.
Sceilig [skellig], a rock ; skellig.
Sceir [sker], a sharp rock, plural sceire [skerry] ; sker
skerry, skerries.
Serin [skreen], a shrine ; skreen, skryne, skreena.
Seabhac [shouk], a hawk ; shoke, shock, touk, tuke.
Sealan [shallanj, a hangman's rope, a gallows ; shallon,
shall an.
Sealg [shallog], hunting; shallog, shellig.
Sean [shan], old ; shan, shanna.
Seiseadh [sheshal, a sixth part; shesha, sheshia, sheshtv
106 Vocabulary of Irish Root Words.
Seisreach [shesheragh], a measure of land ; sheshera
shesheragh, sistra.
Seiscenn [sheskin], a marsh, a quagmire ; sheskin, seskin
teskin.
Sidh Ishee], a fairy hill, a fairy ; sJtee.
Sidhean [sheeaun], a fairy hill ; sheaun, sheehaun, sheean.
shean, sion, shane.
Siol |_sheelj, seed, descendants ; shil, shel.
Sionnach [shinnagh], a fox ; shinny, shinnagh, tinny.
Bliabh [sleeve], a mountain ; slieve, slie, sle, lieve, lie ;
and by an eclipse of s, tleva, tlieve, tlea.
Blighe [slee], a road or pass ; slee.
Sluagh [sloo], a host ; floe, tloe, tloy, tlowig.
Snamh [snauv], swimming, a swimming ford ; snauv,
snave, sna, tna, tra.
Sradbhaile [sradvally], street-town, a town with one
street ; stradlally.
Sraid [sraud], a street; sraud, sir aid, strode, sir ad.
Sron |_srone], the nose, a nose-like hill ; sroan, shrone,
stran.
Sruth [sruhj, a stream; sruh, true, srough, strew.
Sruthair [smherj, a stream ; shrule, shruel, struell, srool,
sroohitt.
Sruhan [sruhaun], a stream; troughan, sruffaun, straf-
fan, truan, trone.
Ster (Danish), a place.
Stuaic [stookj, a pointed pinnacle, an out jutting point
of rock ; stook.
Suidhe [seej, a sitting place, a seat; see, se, sea, thi.
Taebh [lave], the side, a hill-side; teeve, teev.
Taimhleacht [tavlaght], a plague-grave, a place where
those who died of a plague were interred; tallaght,
tamlaght, tamlat, tawlaght, toiclaght, toulett, hoiclaght^
hawlagh, hamlat, fiamlet.
Tamhnach [tawnaghj, a green field; tawnagh, tatvny,
tonagh, tamnagh, tamny.
Tarbh [tarriv], a bull; tarriv, terriff, tarri/, tarf,
tarry, liernff, harriff.
Tate, tath ; a measure of land ; tat, tate.
Teach [taghj, a house; tagh, ta, tee, ti, ty; and by cor-
ruption, sta, »ti, sty.
Vocabulary of Irish Root Word*. 107
Teamhair [tawer], an elevated spot commanding an
extensive view ; tara, touragh, tower, taur.
Teampull [tampul], a church ; temple.
Teine [tinna], fire ; tinny, tenny.
Teotan [totaun], a burning or conflagration ; totaun.
Tobar, tipra (gen. tioprad), a well ; tober, tubber, tip-
per, tubbrid, tibret.
Tochar [togher], a causeway over a bog or marsh;
togher.
Tor, a tower, a tower -like rock ; tor.
Tore [turk], a boar ; turk, tore, hirk, nadurk.
Traigh [tra], a strand; tra, traw, tray.
Trian [treen], a third part; treen, trean, trien.
Triucha [truha], a cantred or district ; trough, tnu.
Tromm, the elder or boor- tree ; trim, trom, trum.
Tuaim [toom], a tumulus or burial mound ; toome, torn,
toom, turn.
Tuar [toor], a bleach green, any green field where
things were put to bleach or dry ; toor, tore, tour.
Tulach [tulla], a little hill; tulla, tullow, tullagh, fully,
tul.
Turlach [toorlagh], a lake that dries up in summer ; tur-
louffh, turly.
Ua, a grandson, a descendant; plural ui oruibh [ee, iv^
descendants; 0 (in such names as O'Brien), hy, i,
we.
Uagh, uairah [ooa, ooiv], a cave, gen. uamhann [ooan];
forms the terminations oe, oo, nahoe, nahoo, oova, ove%
one, oon.
Uaran [poran], a cold spring ; oran.
Ubhall [ool], an apple ; see abhall.
Uisce [iskaj, water; iska, isky, isk.
Urchur [urker], a cast or throw ; wrcher.
Urnaidhe [urny], a prayer, a prayer-house or oratory;
wrney, and with the article incorporated, nurny.
THE END.
University of California
SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
Return this material to the library
from which it was borrowed.
IRECTO
A 000 032 268 5
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11